The Boy with the Bread
by WinterRose02
Summary: "Miss Everdeen, it's the things we love the most... that destroy us." President Snow wanted to be true to his word, that's what he always strives at doing; being right. But when his plan to hijack Peeta proves futile he's starting to rethink his choice of words. This is what I believe to happen if Peeta was never hijacked. Please R & R.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello. This is my second FanFic. This is what I thought would have happened if Peeta wasn't hijacked. Takes place after the rescue. Please know that I will be mainly focused on updating 'Always' and not this story. This is just what I'll do in my extra time. Hope you like the story and let me know if I should continue.**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. Belongs to Suzanne Collins.**

 **The Boy with the Bread**

Haymitch barges into my compartment, in District 13, seemingly out of breath.

"Their back!-The rescue team. We're wanted in the hospital." He stammers.

Oh my gosh! Peeta is back! Here, with me! Safe.

"Is he okay?" I ask, while throwing on my shoes.

"From what I heard, he was tortured the least out of all three of them." Haymitch replies.

Yes! Peeta may not be as badly hurt as I thought he would be.

We start walking down to the hospital. Well, Haymitch was walking, I was running.

When I get to the hospital, I see Finnick and Annie making out against the wall. I also see Johanna, with a shaved head, and bruises all over her face. If Peeta was tortured the least, then he should hardly be hurt at all. And I was right. When I get to his hospital room, I see Peeta sitting up on his bed, with doctors surrounding him. When I finally see his face, he has a small bruise above his eye, but that's the only visible injury.

"Peeta!" I yell, not believing he is right in front of me, and mostly unharmed.

"Katniss!" He yells, and runs to me. We wrap each other in a warm embrace.

"I missed you so much, Peeta. So, so much." I say, still holding on to him for dear life.

"I missed you too."

"I love you." I say, not believing my own words, when they come out, but knowing there true.

"What did you say?" He asks in disbelief, because it's the first time I said it to him, and not just for the cameras.

"I love you." I say again. "I really do. So much."

"I love you too." He says, sincerely and smiling. We are then kissing, madly, just like Annie and Finnick, but with more passion. There is something about this kiss that makes me want more, and for the first time, I get it.

#############

It's been a few months since Peeta's return, and we have spent every minute together. Our hands never leave the others. We don't even leave each other at night, that's when we're the closest. We hold each other all night long, protecting each other from the coming nightmares.

The following morning, me and Peeta are called to Command. We're not exactly sure why, but it probably has something to do with the war.

We get to Command and find Coin, Haymitch, Gale, Finnick, Boggs, Leegs 1 and 2, Jackson, and Cressida.

"Hello." Coin says when we walk in. "How nice of you to join us Soldier Everdeen and Soldier Mellark. Now, we have something very important to discuss." She starts. "As you all may know, we have all the Districts on our side, except for District 2. Now, the following soldiers will be assigned to go to District 2, to persuade them to join the rebellion." I pray that Peeta's name is not one of them, I know I will be going, since I am the one doing all the persuading. "Soldiers Everdeen, Hawthorne, Boggs, Jackson, and Cressida." She says. "Are there any questions?"

"I want to go." Peeta says immediately. "I don't want Katniss going without me." I know that he knows that Coin will not agree, but God I love him for trying. Even if I don't want him to go.

"I'm sorry, Soldier Mellark." Coin says. "But all the positions are filled. Don't worry, you'll be able to watch it live from Command. Ms. Everdeen will be back before you know it."

Peeta slumps back into his chair, defeated.

######################

The day comes that I have to go to District 2, for the Rebellion. We're about to board the hovercraft, but me and Peeta get a short goodbye.

"Be careful." He says. "I love you."

"I love you too." I say. "And I will be careful. I promise. Besides, you'll be with me the whole time. In here." I say pointing to his heart. "Plus, I'll be on T.V the whole time." We start kissing, a lot, until Gale rudely interrupts us.

"Catnip, enough making out. It's time to go." He says, coldly. He's obviously jealous of me and Peeta, but I don't care what he thinks of me anymore. We're still friends, but not as close of friends as before. This war has really taken a toll on us.

"Goodbye." I say giving Peeta a short, sweet kiss.

"Bye. I love you." Peeta says through the kiss.

"I love you too." I say as I board the hovercraft. The doors to the hovercraft close, and I already miss Peeta, but I'll have to deal with it for another week or two. I'm not exactly sure how long we'll be gone.

"Do you love him?" Gale asks me on the hovercraft.

"Isn't it obvious?" I say, honestly surprised at Gale's words.

"Not really, considering how long the love was fake."

"It wasn't fake for as long as you think." I say, a bit too coldly.

"When did you realize you loved him?" He asks.

"When his heart stopped, in the arena. I knew then that I couldn't live without him." I say, surprised at how honest I am being to Gale about Peeta.

"So... I guess we don't have a chance anymore."

"No... We don't have a chance." I say.

"If I told you how I felt sooner, would we have a chance then?" He asks.

"I'm sorry, but no. Peeta would have come into my life anyways, he sorta, stole my heart." I say. After that we don't speak. We just sit in silence until we get to District 2.

Once we're in District 2, we go inside the Nut. No one told me what we're doing in here, but we find a group of workers from the district. One of them is lying on the ground, and the people on my side have their guns turned towards the workers, but all I can think about is the man lying on the ground.

"Stop!" I yell, running to the man. "Stop! He's hurt." Suddenly, the man is on his feet and has me in a head lock, with a gun to my head. "Stop." I say to the man. "You don't want to kill me."

"Oh, yeah?" The man says. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." He says. I now see a camera, and realize, Cressida is recording, so I'd make this good.

"Because," I start. "If you kill me, you'll be killing your friends, your family, and your neighbors. Do you really want to be the reason for their deaths? Do you want the Capital to continue killing innocent people? Because that is what will happen if I am dead." I finish. He decides to let me go, but that's when everything goes into chaos. There are guns being fired from every direction, and before I know it, there is a bullet inside me, when I realize, I was just shot on live TV.

 **Peeta's POV**

I sit in Command, watching as Katniss and the crew walk into the Nut. When they get inside there are workers and Katniss runs up to one of them, who is lying on the ground.

"Stop!" She yells, running to him. "Stop! He's hurt." The man is then on his feet, with Katniss in a head lock, and a gun to her head.

"Coin!" I yell. "You said she'd be safe! You have to get her out of there."

"I'm sorry, Peeta." Coin says. "But there's nothing I can do. We've lost contact with the crew."

"Stop." I hear Katniss say and I look back to the screen. "You don't want to kill me."

"Oh, yeah?" The man says. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." At this point, I'm freaking out. A man is trying to kill Katniss, and I can't do anything about it.

"Because," Katniss starts. "If you kill me, you'll be killing your friends, your family,and your neighbors. Do you really want to be the reason for their deaths? Do you want the Capital to continue killing innocent people? Because that is what will happen if I am dead." She finishes. The man sighs and lets her go. Thank goodness. But that's when everything goes into chaos. There are guns being shot from every direction, and before I have time to process what is happening, Katniss is on the ground, in a pool of blood.

"Coin!" I yell. "You promised me she would be safe there! You promised!" I then run out of Command and lock myself in my compartment and sob.

After a while, I think I was here for a couple hours, but it feels like minutes. Haymitch comes in with some good news.

"Boy, Katniss is back. She's going into surgery right now, but she'll be fine." He tells me.

"You promise she'll be okay? Because I'm kinda tired of being lied to all the time." I say.

"Yes Boy, I promise. She's fine. You can go wait in the waiting room in the hospital wing."

"Okay." I say as I leave my room, and head down to the hospital wing. I see Prim on the way there.

"Peeta!" She calls out, when she sees me. "Hey. Did you hear about Katniss?" She asks, sadly.

"Yeah, I did. I was headed down there now to wait for her to be out of surgery. You wanna come?" I ask.

"I would love to, but I've got to pick up some supplies for the hospital, in the storage compartment." She says.

"Okay. Well, I'll see you around." I say.

"Bye, Peeta."

I make it to the hospital wing and immediately ask about Katniss. All they tell me is that I have to wait until after the surgery to know exactly whats going on, so I wait, and wait, and wait. Until I feel like I can't wait anymore, a doctor comes out and tells me I can see Katniss now. When I get to her hospital room, she is unconscious, with a breathing mask on and a hospital gown over her fragile body.

I go over to her bed, and sit in the chair right next to it.

"Katniss." I say to her unconscious body. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could've done something, but there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Katniss! Your awake." I exclaim and jump up to hug her.

"Peeta! It's so good to see you. I missed you so much." Katniss nearly shouts.

"I missed you too. I can't believe that happened to you. When I was watching, I nearly killed Coin for sending you out there. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"Peeta, it's not your fault. Don't you ever think it was your fault, I know you tried to get Coin to let you come, but there was nothing you could do to change her mind. That's something we're going to have to live with, we can't change Coin's mind once a decision is final. Now, I will say this one last time, it is not your fault."

"It may not be my fault, but from now on, you are not leaving my sight. I will do whatever I can to protect you. Because I love you."

 **A/N:Hope you liked the first chapter.**

 **Please Follow, Review, and Favorite.**

 **Let me know what you think of the story, and give me ideas of what you want to happen, because honestly, I have no idea where this story is going.**

 **Well... Bye**

 **-Sophia :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Easter has come. But I don't celebrate Easter, I only care about the Peeps! That's right, I'm eating Peeps while I write this.**

 **It is scientifically proven that if you eat sugar while writing, then your writing will be better.**

 **Okay, that's a lie, it took me like ten minutes to write this, because I'm typing with one hand and holding the Peep with the other. D:**

 **Okay, let's write this chapter! :)**

 **P.S. If you eat a whole Peep at once, then it will taste like chemicals in your mouth. Bleh!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.**

 **Chapter 2- Katniss POV**

We leave for the Capitol in a month, so Peeta and I have been training everyday. So far we have just been doing push-ups, shooting practice, and weight lifting. But today we are doing something a little different... running. I'm okay with running, but it might be a little tough for Peeta with his prosthetic leg and all.

"Come on, Peeta!" I encourage him on the running track, it is located above District 13, outside. "You can do it!" He is bending over, trying to catch his breath. It is pouring rain out here.

Johanna runs up next to us. "What's wrong with him?" She asks sarcastically.

"He's just taking a break." I say, glaring at her. "Why are you stopping? Is something wrong?" I ask, mockingly.

"Just making sure bread boy wasn't dying." She mocks and continues her run. I roll my eyes.

"Come on, Peeta!" I grab his hand to pull him along, he starts running with me, but slowly. It makes me wonder how he was able to make it through two Hunger Games and not be able to run a mile. So I ask him.

"Peeta, you made it through two Hunger Games, you can do this."

"Okay." He huffs. "I'm coming."

I continue to pull him along, until we've run the whole mile.

"See?" I say. "That wasn't too bad."

"Yeah." He laughs. "For you." I roll my eyes, but laugh along with him.

"You ready for lunch?" I ask.

"I'm starving." He smiles. I give him a small smile. We go to the cafeteria, get our food, and then sit at the table we were assigned to, with Prim and my mother.

"Was training fun?" Prim asks.

Peeta and I glance at each other, and then say together "No."

"They started training me to be a doctor!" Prim beams.

"Prim, that's great!" I gasp. I can't believe my little duck is going to be a doctor.

"That's amazing, Prim!" Peeta says. "Congratulations."

"Thank you!" She says. Delly comes over to sit down with us. **  
**

**(By the way, I don't like Delly AT ALL! So prepare to see a bad guy. Not bad bad, but not good.)**

I roll my eyes as she takes a seat right next to Peeta. She is always trying to get Peeta to 'hook up' with her, even when I'm right there. I think it's extremely rude. I mean, at least wait until I'm gone to flirt with him. Not that I want her to be flirting with him at all, it's just that when you do it right in front of a person, then it gets personal.

"Hey, Peeta." She says, flirtatiously.

"Oh... hi, Delly." He says back.

"Got any plans today?"

"Yeah, I was going to spend the day with Katniss."

"Why?"

"Why what?" He asks, does he really not see what she's doing!

"Why spend the day with her? I'm here."

"Um... Katniss, let's go." He says, getting up, and pulling me along. I know Peeta won't let her get to him, but it really ticks me off that she would even try. She knows as well as I do that Peeta is in love with me, it's been like that for over ten years.

I eye Peeta as we walk to his compartment. He doesn't look at me until we're about half way to his room.

"What?" He asks, politely.

"Is there something going on between you and Delly?" I ask.

"Of course not! Your the only person I love. I promise." He stops mid in his tracks. "Look at me." He takes my face into his hands. "There is no one other than you that I love and there never will be. Do you believe me?" I nod and he kisses me on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." I say, as we continue walking to his compartment.

…...

Later that day, Peeta and I are called to Command, we're not sure why, but it probably has to do with the rebellion. We walk down to Command, hand in hand.

When we get there the room is filled with people. We see Coin, Haymitch, Finnick, Boggs, Cressida, the camera crew, and a bunch of people we don't know.

"Soldier Everdeen, Soldier Mellark, how nice of you to join us. Please, take a seat." Coin directs us.

We take a seat next to each other near Haymitch and Finnick.

"Now, let's get down to business." Coin jumps right into it. "President Snow has agreed to surrender."

There are gasps from everyone in the room. Questions are being thrown everywhere, but Coin raises her hand to silence the group, and instantly the room is silent.

"But, he will only do it under one condition. It's a risky one, but I think we can all agree it's worth it." Coin says.

Everyone in the room has a confused look on their face, but mine is by far the most confused. What could be big enough to end a war.

"For this war to end we must," Coin goes on. "Hand our Mockingjay over to the Capitol."

 **A/N: I have a few things to say.**

 **One, don't hate me for hating Delly and making her a bad guy.**

 **Two, don't hate me for hating Coin and making her a bad guy.**

 **Three, don't forget to review.**

 **Four, have a great day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi!**

 **Hope you will like this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own this stuff, I'm not _that_ cool! All works belong to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 3**

Chaos builds up in the room as everyone argues against Coin. I mostly hear Peeta as he yells out how unjust this is and how we shouldn't be doing this, but all I can think about is that I'm being sent to the Capitol and most likely will be killed.

"I'm sorry!" Coin shouts. "But we already agreed with Snow."

"What do you mean 'we'?" Peeta asks. "No one in here knew about it! You were the only one who knew!"

"Soldier Mellark don't you dare raise your voice at me!" Coin warns. She sounds like a mother scolding her child. "Soldier Everdeen." Coin says, calmly. "I would like to get your opinion on it."

"Do I have a choice?" I ask, harshly.

"No."

"Then why even ask my opinion." I glare at her.

"Coin!" Peeta shouts. "You can't send your Mockingjay to the Capitol!"

"If we send her there then this war ends! Do you want that Soldier Mellark?!" She shouts.

"There has to be another way!" Peeta says back, but I remain silent.

"There isn't another way!"

"Can't we just wait it out and let Katniss do more propos, and wait until the Capitol just surrenders. Wasn't that the plan the whole time!" Peeta says.

"Okay, we will have a vote. All in favor of sending our Mockingjay to the Capitol, raise your hand." Coin says. When no one raises their hand, Coin speaks up again. "Do you want to end this war or not? Being in the rebellion means you have to take risk and lose important people sometimes. We can't keep everybody!"

After this statement there are a few hands put up, and then more, until more than half the room has their hands up. So that means I'm being sent to the Capitol.

"Very well then." Coin says. "Katniss will be sent to the Capitol."

I hold back my tears, but Peeta can't hold back his. His eyes fill with tears as two guards come into Command and grab me by my arms.

"No!" I scream. "Please, just let me say goodbye! Please!" Now the tears don't stay in. They all pour out.

"Katniss!" Peeta shouts. "No! Don't take her away! Don't! Katniss!"

"Peeta! Goodbye! I love you!" I shout. I'm about to ask him to tell my family I love them, but the guards pull me out of the room before I have time to. I hear Peeta shouting at Coin in the room, but I can't make out what he is saying.

I struggle against the guards, but it is no use, they are stronger than I am. I see Peeta running out of Command, towards me, but the guards stick a syringe into my back. The last thing I remember is Peeta's panicked voice calling my name.

 _I'm in the meadow with Prim, Peeta, and my mother. We are all laughing as we eat a picnic together. Then President Snow comes in, disguised as a snake, but you can tell it's him by those evil eyes and that devilish grin._

 _Before I know it, he is killing Prim and my mother, then saves Peeta for last. He engulfs them all as he turns into his human self._

" _Ms. Everdeen." He says. "It's the things we love that kill us the most." He turns to dust as I slowly wake up from my nightmare._

I wake up in a cold, dark room. I realize I am strapped down to a bed, when I try to escape.

A door opens across from the bed I'm on. In walks the man of my nightmares, President Snow.

"Ms. Everdeen, so glad your up from your little nap. I really hope you'll find it comfortable here, in the Capitol." He smiles devilishly.

"It was worth it to end this horrid war!" I snarl.

"Oh, Ms. Everdeen, you really thought I would give in that easily." He growls.

"You lied!" I say. "I thought we agreed not to lie to each other." I mock him.

"Well, you see, Ms. Everdeen, I am of much higher authority than you. You are only a poor little seam girl."

"I was until you changed me."

"I changed you?" He asks. "No, you changed yourself."

"So, the war is still going on?"

"Yes. But I want you to stop it."

"I will never do anything for you!" I scream.

"If you don't, there will be direr consequences." He warns.

"Do whatever you want to me. I won't give in."

"Suit yourself." He says. "Doctors, start the procedure."

"Procedure?" I ask, frightened. "What are you going to do?" Snow walks out without saying another word.

I struggle against the restraints to free myself, but the doctor puts my sedative in me.

"Ms. Everdeen, calm down." A doctor tells me.

"What are you doing to me?"

"Why bother telling you? You won't remember any of it."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon." The doctor tells me as the sedative kicks in and everything goes black once again.

 **Peeta POV**

A few days after they took Katniss away, I've spent all my time in my room. It crushed me to have to tell Prim and Ms. Everdeen about their daughter being taken away, maybe being killed. But I can't think like that, just think positive.

I don't eat much anymore, just spend all day on my bed, usually crying. I haven't seen anybody since I had talked to Prim and Ms. Everdeen. There's no need to talk to anyone.

The worst part is, President Snow had lied to us. He was never going to surrender, he just wanted the Mockingjay to make the rebellion weaker. Coin won't agree to save Katniss either. But I will do everything in my power to save Katniss. Even if it costs me my life.

 **Back to Katniss' POV**

I awaken in a daze. _What's going on?_ I think first. But then millions of questions pop into my mind. _Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing here?_

There is a doctor next to the bed, where I am lying.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Ms. Everdeen! Your awake!" She says all perky like.

"Where am I?"

"Oh, right. You got a bad concussion during the bombing of District 12, that the rebels started." She says.

"District 12? Rebels? What the heck are you talking about?"

She explains everything about the districts and how they are rebelling. Then a man with a white, bushy beard and fancy clothes on, walks in.

"Hello, Ms. Everdeen." He says.

"Um... hello. Who are you?"

"Oh, I apologize. My name is Snow. I am the president of Panem." He says. "I'm here to clear somethings up with you."

He tells me a long story about these people called rebels and how they are rebelling against him. How could someone want to disobey a nice president like President Snow? He continues telling me that the rebels bombed my home and killed my family.

"I want you to help me stop them." Snow says. "We need to end all this ruckus."

"I have a question." I say. "Why exactly are they rebelling against you?"

"Who knows! People these days are crazy." He says. I totally agree with him.

"Okay, I'll help you. As long as you help me remember everything about me." I say.

"Ms, Everdeen, that was the plan all along." He says. "Help you remember the _real_ you." He had said 'real' weirdly, but I'm going to ignore it.

I smile and then he leads me into a huge, fancy room where I will be living. He also gives me some supper, which I eat quickly because I am starving.

My therapy, to help me remember, starts tomorrow and I can't wait to find out who I really am.

 **A/N: I am so evil!**

 **Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **Don't forget to review.**

 **BYE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi!**

 **I feel very evil about the last chapter, but I like feeling evil. (Insert devilish grin)**

 **I'm just kidding!**

 **Hope y'all like this chapter.**

 **Don't forget to review and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don not own the Hunger Games. All works go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 4, I think, I don't know, but we are going to say 4. :)**

President Snow did a great job at helping me find my true identity. I can already sorta remember some of the things he told me about myself. Like how my family abandoned me when I was a little girl, but are dead now. And about the bombing of District 12 arranged by the rebels, which killed my family and almost killed me.

From what I've been told, I don't have any friends, which is kind of upsetting. Although I do keep having the same dream every night. I'm in a meadow or field or something, and there is a man with me. He has blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. We're lying in the grass, staring at the sky. I don't know this man, but we kiss a couple of times in the dream. I think I love this man, but I can't be sure.

There has also been nightmares. One was when I was in a big field, with dangerous looking people on pedestals, I guess that's what they are. We are all surrounded by woods, but in the middle of the field is a big metal building with weapons and other supplies. A man comes over an intercom.

" _Let the 74th Hunger Games begin!"_ He screamed. Then a canon went off and everyone was running to the big metal building. But what scared me was the fact that everyone was killing each other.

I see the blonde boy with blue eyes running into the woods, then the nightmare ends.

"Hello, Ms. Everdeen." President Snow says from his presidential seat, as I walk into his office.

"Hello, President Snow." I greet him, nicely. "I wanted to ask you a question."

"Go ahead."

"I was having dreams or a nightmare. Do you know what the Hunger Games are?" I ask.

He stares at me, shocked.

"Um... Let me ask you this." He says. "Have you had any other dreams?"

"Yes. I'm in a meadow with a boy, he has blonde hair and blue eyes. I think I'm in love with him."

His mouth is open slightly in surprise. "Do you get dreams like this every night?"

"Yes, the other night I was in a place, similar to the Hunger Games, I think. Someone has said let the 75th Hunger Games begin. But I don't know what the Hunger Games are. Can't you tell me?"

"Ms. Everdeen, there are some things that are too complicated for _some_ people to understand."

"I can understand it. Just tell me. And who was that boy?" A name suddenly pops into my mind and it seems right for this boy in my head. "Peeta Mellark?" His head pops up in surprise.

"How do you know that? Who told you?!" He says with a great amount of force in his voice.

"Nobody." I say, frightened, as he gets up from his chair. _Maybe, President Snow is a man that I cannot trust._ "I just thought of that name."

"No! Somebody had to have told you! Who was it? Who?" His face is beet red with anger, and his voice has more force in it than ever.

"There was this girl!" I say. "A few days ago, I was in my room and I heard this girl talking about two star-crossed lovers, and she said they were Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. But I've never heard of a Peeta Mellark before. I swear."

He gives me a long, hard stare before speaking again. Only, he doesn't speak to me, he speaks to a guard.

"Take her to her new room!" He snarls. _Now I know this is a man I cannot trust. He's evil._

"Yes sir." The guard says.

"And no more special treatment."

The guard grabs me by my hair, and I scream out in pain. I keep screaming until he takes me into a dark, cold cell. The ground is hard and cold, but the only place for me to sleep.

As I sleep, I keep getting dreams and nightmares. They all include the blonde haired, blue eyed boy, Peeta Mellark. But I only get small parts of dreams before I am awaken, every morning, with the splash of freezing cold water all over my body.

I don't know what is real or not from my dreams. I don't know if this boy is real, but by the President Snow sounded, he probably is real.

Sometimes I dream of the arena, the meadow, my family. Strange thing is, I was never told of the names of my family members. I see a girl with two braids, unlike my one, and blonde hair. This must be my sister. My mother, I think she has blonde hair and blue eyes, like Peeta Mellark.

But one day, my guard gives me news that will change my life forever.

"All the dreams are real." He tells me. "President Snow lied about everything."

But who can I trust anymore?

 **Peeta's POV**

Now that Katniss has been gone a whole two weeks I am the saddest man in the world. Of course, with Katniss being gone, Delly has been trying to get together with me, but I told her just because Katniss is gone, it doesn't mean I don't love her.

I have made some improvements over the last couple of weeks. I leave my compartment and shower now.

One day, I am called to Command. I'm surprised the rebellion hasn't surrendered yet.

"Hello, Soldier Mellark." Coin greets me. I don't like Coin anymore, since she took Katniss from me, so I just nod back to her.

"Well, then." She says. "Let's get down to business. As you know, our original Mockingjay is not here anymore, so we need a new one. Peeta?"

"What?"

"Will you be our new Mockingjay?"

"No. Not after what you did."

"All we want you to do is a couple of propos. And you were the one we wanted in the first place, but it turned out to be Katniss. Now it's your turn."

"No!" I say, harshly.

"Peeta." Plutarch says. "What if you being the Mockingjay can help Katniss?" He asks.

"How?"

"You could appear on TV for her. And when we do raid the Capitol, we could get Katniss out while we're there. But you have to agree to be the Mockingjay." Plutarch says.

"I'll think about it." I say as I storm out of the room.

Maybe we could get Katniss back if I become the Mockingjay. Maybe.

 **A/N: Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **Don't forget to review.**

 **Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Welcome back to my story!**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Don't forget to review.**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 5- Prim's POV**

Katniss, being gone for two weeks now, could, and probably is, in great danger.

When Peeta told me and my mother I ran to my room and cried. I'm scared for her life, and the worst part is, I don't even know if she is alive or not.

My doctor training has been going well, but it's kind of hard to pay attention, knowing that Katniss is in the Capitol.

Today, my 'doctor' teacher asked me to come down to the hospital for something very important. I'm kind of excited because this might be the moment I become a full fledged doctor.

"Hello, Dr. A." I say, cheerfully, as I enter his office.

"Hello, Prim. How are you today?" Dr. A. asks.

"I'm doing fine. How about you?"

"Good. I actually called you down to give you something."

"Oh, what is it?" I ask.

"Here you go." He says, handing me a paper. I look down and see that it is a doctor certificate. "Congratulations."

My mouth is wide open.

"Oh my God! Thank you so much!" I squeal. I am so happy right now! I am now a doctor! If only Katniss was here so I could tell her about my new accomplishment.

 **Katniss' POV**

Everyday they ask me about my dreams, and after I tell them, they always beat me in someway afterwards. If I don't answer, they still beat me, but worse than if I had answered. So I choose to answer them, since I have a new dream to tell them about every night.

I don't know why they want to know my dreams, I don't even know if they're real. From my dreams I have learned that my sisters name was either Prim or Rue, that part was fuzzy and hard to remember. I've been dreaming a lot about me and that Peeta Mellark guy. I'm still not sure about that guy, but I do remember a night on a train or hotel room. I had asked him to stay with me and he said always.

All my dreams are fuzzy and hard to remember, so if they did really happen, I don't remember much of it happening.

I'm still confused about a few things. _What are the Hunger Games? Why was I, maybe, there? Who exactly is Peeta Mellark and my family? I don't know anything about them, or if they exist. Who are the rebels? Who really destroyed my home?_

These are all questions I know, somewhere I know the answers, but at the same time, I don't know them.

President Snow walks into my cell, which is strange because I haven't seen him for a week.

"Hello, Ms. Everdeen." He greets me.

"Snow." I say, coldly. "What do you want?"

"I want you to do an interview. Convince the people to stop the rebels." He says.

"Why would I do that? I don't even know why their rebelling."

"That's why I am giving you these note cards. Memorize them in the next hour." He says, handing me a stack of notes.

"Fine." I say, and he leaves me to memorize these notes.

 **Peeta's POV**

I am in the cafeteria, eating dinner with Prim and her mother.

"Peeta! I have great news!" Prim shouts.

"What is it?" I ask, smiling.

"I'm a real doctor now! I finished my training!" She says, proudly.

"Prim, that's great!" I say. "Congratulations."

Just as I'm about to finish eating the TV flickers on and Katniss appears on TV.

 **Katniss POV**

"Hello, Katniss!" The interviewer said. I forgot his name. President Snow had told me earlier, but I can't remember it. "It's so nice to see you again!"

"It's nice to see you too." I say, trying to dodge the fact that I have no idea who this person is.

"So, how have you been?" He asks. No one can tell that I have been beaten, because some people covered it up with makeup.

"Good." I say, according to the cards I've mesmerized. "With the generosity of the Capitol, I've been helping out around the place." A lie. "And I've attended many parties by President Snow." Another lie.

"That sounds great!" He says. "Now, let me ask you, how has it been being separated from Peeta so long?"

What... Who is Peeta again? I keep forgetting everybody's names, at least everybody from my past. Once I've learned them, I usually blank out on what the name actually was, but I eventually get it.

Not knowing who Peeta is isn't what is worrying me. It's the fact that I don't remember what was on the card! Surely these people know that I have a concussion and don't remember anything, right?

"Um... I'm sorry." I say. "Who is Peeta again?"

"Your star-crossed lover!" He laughs. Oh, I remember this guys name. I'd know that laugh anywhere, it's Caesar Flickerman, I remember him from one of my dreams, but only vaguely.

"Oh! Right, silly me." I say. "Um... being away from P- Peeta is really tough. I think." I know I've already screwed up this interview, and I will be punished. But what do you expect from a girl with a concussion, who forgets a lot of things right after she hears them. I swear I only said a few lines from the note cards.

"Hm... How are you holding up without your family?"

"Um..." What did the cards say? What did the CARDS SAY?! "I miss them... a lot. Yeah, um... after the rebels bombed District 12, and they died, I've just been really upset. Even if I don't remember them." I look back and see President Snow in the backstage, with pure anger written all over her face.

"Get her out of there, she's telling them too much!" President Snow shouts to the guards, and they immediately come towards me. One hits me in the back of the head with a batten and I cry out in pain as everything goes black.

 **Back to Peeta's POV**

I watch in horror as her blood splatters on the floor, a ear piercing scream escapes her mouth, as the whole screen goes black.

I'm scared for her own being, but I'm also confused at how she had forgotten who I was, and she didn't remember her family. What have they done to her? Why was she claiming the rebels blew up District 12? It was the Capitol, and she knows it.

"Coin!" I yell, barging into her office. "We have to save her!"

"Only if you agree to be our Mockingjay!" She says. "It's only until Katniss gets back."

"Fine! I'll be your Mockingjay, but I'm done with that position when Katniss gets back."

"Very well."

I storm back out of her office, having little hope of Katniss returning.

But little did I know, I had been lied to once again.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hola my amigos!**

 **Yeah, I don't speak spanish... :(**

 **For some reason, my computer is saying 'spanish' is not a word! What the heck!**

 **Okay, I figured it out, you have to capitalize the S. But I'm too lazy to do that. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games, all rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 6- Katniss' POV**

I wake up in a sterile white room, with my arms and legs strapped down to a cold metal bed. I don't remember what happened, or where I am, but my head hurts like crazy. I must have hit my head somehow, but that doesn't explain why I am strapped down to a metal bed.

A door opens and in walks a man with a bushy white beard, and two guards in white armor behind him. I don't know who any of these people are, but they don't look nice.

And then it hits me... This is President Snow and two peacekeepers. I slowly start to remember everything after I woke up from that concussion, well almost everything.

"Well, Ms. Everdeen, it seems you have once again disobeyed me." President Snow snarls.

"Again? What do you mean again?"

"Well, this isn't the first time you've rebelled against me." He says. "Now, down to business. Have you had any new dreams at all?"

"Dreams? What dreams? What the hell are you talking about?" I ask.

"You don't remember any of your dreams? Well, then, let me ask you this, just to prove that you don't remember. Who is Peeta Mellark and what is your family members names?"

"Peeta Mellark? Never heard that name in my life. And my family? You never told me their names after they were killed by the rebels. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I have my reasons. Now, how much do you remember while being here?"

"I remember your peacekeepers beating me everyday, but I don't remember why. I remember the interview, but I don't remember what was said. And I think I remember everything else." I say.

"Perfect." He growls and then leaves me with the two peacekeepers, and a whip...

…...

After I go to sleep that night, I have a strange dream. It feels familiar, like I've had this dream before, or this has actually happened. But I can't be sure.

In my dream, there is a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. I don't know this boy, but we are kissing a lot in the dream, so I think we might be in love. I also see a girl with blonde hair, and her skirt has a little bit of her shirt sticking out, which to me, looks like a duck tail. I run up and hug her, but the dream ends before I learn any names.

 **Peeta's POV**

After agreeing to be the Mockingjay, I am forced to make propos the next day. It's not very easy, knowing that Katniss is in the Capitol, and probably being tortured and beaten.

As we're almost finished with the propo, Haymitch comes running into the room, seemingly out of breath.

"Peeta!" He shouts. This must be important because he actually used my name. "They're sending a rescue team... to save... Katniss." He says between breathes.

"Really?! Can't I go?"

"No. One, they already left and two, Coin doesn't want our Mockingjay in danger."

"Katniss won't be in danger if I go."

"No, she doesn't want you in danger!"

"I'm not even going to be the Mockingjay once Katniss gets back." I say.

"Remember, Boy, we don't even know what condition she is in. You may have to be the Mockingjay for a little longer after Katniss gets back."

"But I don't want to be working when she gets back, I want to be with her."

"Hey, you made a deal with Coin, and you are going to keep it. Got it?" He says, rather harshly.

I nod tightly.

I sit in my compartment for days, waiting for the rescue team to bring the love of my life back to me. The scariest thing about this all, is that I don't even know if she is alive or not. After the interview, they could have done anything to her, even killed her. I don't know what she did that was so wrong in the interview, but whatever it was, she was surely punished for it.

After those couple of days, Haymitch comes into my compartment, out of breath.

"Katniss is back!... She's back." He says between breaths. We both run off in the direction of the hospital, not stopping for a breath. When we get there, doctors are everywhere. I see Prim and I call out to her, she looks my way and runs over to me.

"Do you know where Katniss is?" I ask her.

"Yeah, but I haven't seen her yet. Come on!" Prim says and I follow her to a room where we see Katniss, covered in scars, bruises, and whip marks. It breaks my heart to see her like this.

She is facing away from me, so I call out her name.

"Katniss?"

 **Katniss' POV**

I hear a familiar voice call my name, and that's all it takes for a flood of memories to go through my brain. Not memories, but dreams. These are the dreams that I have been having since I woke up that one day in the Capitol. But no names come to mind.

I turn around and am faced with the blue eyed blonde boy from my dreams. The good and the bad dreams. I don't know his name, but I wish I did.

"Who are you?" I ask, with confusion written all over my face. I didn't know this man actually existed. I do recall being told by my cell guard that the dreams were real, but how can I trust anyone from the Capitol anymore?

Shock fills his face. "Katniss... y- you don't remember me?"

"No." I say, but I think I can trust him enough to let him know about the dreams. "The only place I've ever seen you was in my dreams, but those weren't real."

"W- what are you talking about? We've known each other our whole lives."

"Well, I wouldn't remember that. I got a concussion after the rebels blew up District 12, and it killed my family. I don't remember anything after waking up in the Capitol."

The little girl from my dreams comes in too. What the hell is going on?! I thought all these people weren't even real!

"Katniss!" The little girl shouts. "I missed you SO much!"

"I'm sorry... I don't know... who you are." I say.

"K- Katniss, it's me, your sister. Prim!" She says. Prim? Sounds familiar.

"She doesn't remember me either." The boy says.

"Prim? Your name sounds familiar, but you can't be my sister. My sister was killed in the bombing of District 12."

"N- no, It's me! Your sister! You have to remember me!" Tears fill her eyes.

"I saw both of you in some dreams. You..." I say, pointing to the boy as I try to figure out his name. "Peter, no... um... Peeta! I don't remember your last name though. And your..." Now, I point towards the girl, Prim. "Prim... um... Prim... Rue? PrimRue? No, that's not right."

"Primrose." She says, sadly.

"Primrose? Hm... never heard it. Although, I think it sounds a little familiar." I see hurt in both of their eyes. "I'm sorry, I still don't know who you are." The boy, Peeta, takes a seat next to me, while the doctors continue to cover up my wounds.

"You really don't remember?" He asks, his eyes also have tears in them. I shake my head 'no'.

"I'm sorry." I say, lowly. "I really am."

"Ms. Everdeen." A doctor says. "Why don't you tell Peeta the dreams you told me about, he can help you out." I nod my head in response.

"Well, I remember a dream where you and I were in a meadow. We were just lying on the grass, staring at the sky. I think we were in love, but I can't be sure." He starts nodding as I talk. "One, was more like a nightmare. We were in this dome or arena, and their people killing each other. There were two like that, one in the woods, and the other was a jungle. What was it called?"

"The Hunger Games." He says, calmly and sweetly.

I nod. "Is it real?"

"Yes. That was all real."

"Is that why there is a war happening?" I ask.

He nods. "Let's make up a game. Okay?" I nod. "You tell me your dreams and what you think is true, then I'll tell you real or not real, depending on if it is true or not. Okay?"

"Okay." I say. "We were in the Hunger Games together. Real or not real?"

"Real. You volunteered in your sisters place, and then my name was drawn." He smiles. I remember this smile from my dreams. That was always the best part of my dreams.

"The rebels bombed my home and killed my family. Real or not real?"

"Not real. The Capitol bombed District 12, and your family is alive. Gale had gotten as many people out as he could." He says.

"Gale? Whose that? I never had a dream about him."

"He was your best friend." He says.

"You and I are in love. Real or not real?"

"Real. It wasn't real at first, when we were in the first arena, but I think it was real in the second one. And it defiantly was real when I got back from the Capitol."

"You were in the Capitol?"

"Yeah, after the second games, the Capitol captured me and Johanna from the arena. The rebels saved you."

I don't know who Johanna is, but I won't ask. I'll figure out some other time. Right now, I just want to play 'real or not real'.

"You gave me a pearl on a beach. Real or not real?"

"Real. It was in the second arena, we were eating and I found a pearl in a clam." He smiles at the memory, and I smile at the dream, because I still don't remember it happening, just a dream. There's a big difference between between remembering and dreaming. But I trust Peeta. I think.

We play this game for a few more hours, and Prim sits in and helps with the more challenging questions. After the doctors make Peeta and Prim leave so I can go to sleep, I lie in bed awake, thinking.

I wish I could remember all these things I'm being told, but I can't. It's not that I don't believe them. I'm just upset that I can only get small pictures or moments out of my dreams. I don't have dreams that last a long time, they just all end before anything gets good. And there are so many moments in my life that I can't piece together or that I don't even remember. I only have small parts of my life, that I don't remember, I only get this information from a man that I apparently love, but I don't remember, and a girl who claims to be my sister, and yet, I don't even remember her, or know if she is really my sister.

I feel like one of those girls who think they know so much about a certain celebrity in a magazine, but yet, I only know a few moments in their life. I don't know what happened before they became famous. I don't know their friends or family. I can't figure out small moments in their life that made them, them.

I'm just a girl who doesn't know anything about herself, her family, her friends, her lovers. I know nothing but what I've been told. There's a difference between being told and actually knowing. And I am only being told.

I think I believe these people, but what if they're like President Snow? I thought I could trust him, and then he turned on me. I trusted him at first, until I learned the truth.

 _The truth..._

If what they're telling me is true, then I should believe them. I've seen them in my dreams before I ever remember seeing them, and now they're telling me my dreams about them are true. They should know, they were actually there, right?

I know I can trust these people, so I will believe whatever they have to tell me.

…...

The next morning, Peeta comes in, smiling.

"Hi." He says.

"Hi." I smile. "I had another dream last night."

"What was it about?" He asks, taking a seat at the end of my bed.

"We're in District 13, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we were here, in District 13, and we were in your room, I think, and you had said you loved me, and I said it back. The dream made me feel happy. I felt like it was real. Was it real or not real?"

"Real. That was a few days before you were taken to the Capitol."

"It felt real."

"So, these dreams. They're like memories?"

"Yeah, except I don't actually remember them happening, and they're so short that it's hard to even remember I had dreamed it. I think there was more to my dream last night." I think really hard, because I know it was important. "Oh, yeah. After you said you loved me, I told you I had to get back to my room, and you asked me to stay, and I said..."

"Always." He finishes for me.

"Yes... always." I say. "How did you know?"

"When we were on the train, on the Victory Tour, you had a nightmare, and I came to your room because I heard you screaming. You asked me to stay with you and I said always."

"I remember that dream." I say.

"It wasn't just a dream. It was real."

"Yes." I say, quietly. "It was real."

 **A/N: That was the longest chapter yet!**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed.**

 **Let me know if you want more long chapters like this.**

 **Do you want short chapters updated quicker? Or longer chapters updated in a few days?**

 **Let me know and I'll make it happen.**

 **BYE!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey y'all!**

 **I'm going to try to make this a long chapter, because that's what you guys wanted, longer chapters in longer periods of time.**

 **Well, those longer periods of time will be a day or two apart, because I write for like 3 hours in a row, and if I don't finish it then, I will come back to it later and work on it until it is done.**

 **So... yeah, that's my writing routine. And my life. Literally, I spend my whole day in front of this laptop!**

 **Okay, let's start this chapter!**

 **I'm so excited! I just can't hide it! I'm about to lose control and I think I like it! Uh YEAH YEAH Uh YEAH YEAH!**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins!**

 **Chapter 7- Peeta's POV**

"Soldier Mellark, your wanted in Command." Boggs informs me.

"Okay." I say, before going with Boggs to Command. I'd much rather be in the hospital with Katniss, considering I was about to go before Boggs came, but I guess I can do that after Command, it can't take that long.

"Hello, Soldier Mellark!" Coin greets me. I nod stiffly in reply. I am still holding a grudge against Coin for sending Katniss to the Capitol in the first place. Why would she send her there if we can't even trust that Snow would keep his word? She knows he can't be trusted. It's a little strange.

"Well, now." She says. "As you know, Katniss can't be the Mockingjay right now, so we were hoping you could continue being our Mockingjay until she recovers."

"No!" I say. "We made a deal that I would be released of my duties once Katniss gets back. Besides, right now, my main priority is Katniss, helping her to remember."

"Mr. Mellark, you do realize we are the reason she is safe from the Capitol in the first place. We can send her back there as easily as it was getting her out. Easier, in fact."

"You wouldn't send her back!" I say.

"Mr. Mellark, you have to be our Mockingjay! If you're not our Mockingjay then we can't win this war! Don't you want to live a happy life with Katniss, without the games?"

"Katniss doesn't even remember me!" I say, as the past couple of days start to sink in. "She doesn't remember anything about us, and I have to help her! I have to focus on her right now!"

"Peeta, please. This rebellion needs you more than you think."

"I don't know." I say. "But I can't keep devoting all my time to this rebellion. I have other things to think about right now."

"Peeta, what if I gave you a week break. So you can help Katniss get better. You can start working again next week and have two days off every week. Will you agree to that?"

"I'll think about it." I say, and leave right away. All I want to do right now is see Katniss. That's the only thing I want to do.

 **Katniss' POV**

I sit silently in my room, with nothing to do. I can't leave the hospital for another week, and then I move in with my mother and Prim. I met my mother a couple days ago. Well, not met, but saw. Although it felt like I was meeting her for the first time. I've gotten acquainted with them both, but I'm don't entirely trust anybody. Not even Peeta.

"Ms. Everdeen, there is someone here to see you." A nurse calls to me.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Mr. Hawthorne." She says. I don't know anybody with the last name 'Hawthorne' but I tell her she can send him in.

"Hey, Catnip." A tall man with brown hair and gray eyes walks in. He looks an awful lot like me and I can already tell that his personality is full of fire. I think I remember him, but a name doesn't come to mind.

"Catnip? That's not my name." I say.

"Oh, sorry. That was just my old nickname for you." He says.

"Oh. Well, what's your name?"

"Uh... Gale." He says, awkwardly.

"Oh, well, hi Gale." I say, just as awkwardly as he did. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"And... may I ask why?"

"We're best friends, Katniss. I know you don't remember me, but I want you to know that I want to help you remember. Whether you remember me or not, I know that you love me and I love you. That's why I want to help you."

"But, I thought I was in love with Peeta?"

"That love was fake. It was for the cameras. Our love was real. Ever kiss, every hug, it was all real. Every time you kissed him, it wasn't for you or for him, it was for the cameras. He doesn't love you, and you don't love him. You love me." He tells me.

"What about the dreams?" I ask.

"What dreams?" He asks.

"I always have dreams about me and him, and he tells me that they're real." I tell him about all my dreams.

"I don't know what he told you about those dreams, but I know that all that love that you two had, it was only for the cameras. I know all those dreams, they were real, but I saw nearly all of them on TV, all that love on the cameras is not real. What we have is real." I can see the sparkle in his beautiful gray eyes as he tells me this. All the hope in his eyes that we may actually have a chance. But I hardly know him.

"Tell me about you."

"Me and you hunt in the woods together on Sunday. I would take care of your family when you left to the games. I can shoot an arrow like you, although your better than me." He laughs, and I laugh too. He tells me a lot of things about him, and once in a while would talk about our love. We laugh a few times and cry too.

We spend a good few hours together, before I realize this might be my real lover. He certainly can't answer my 'real or not real' questions like Peeta does, but this guy gets me. I know I can trust him, and I believe him when he says he was my best friend, and that I loved him.

 **(Just wanted to quickly say that I am totally against Galeniss! I hate the idea of Katniss and Gale ever being together. This 'love' phase is just temporary. Katniss is obviously meant to be with Peeta! Duh!)**

Right before Gale leaves we share a quick kiss, which I've never done with Peeta while I've been here. But then again, if I really love Gale, why was he never in my dreams? Why has only Peeta and my family been in my dreams? I don't remember anything Gale has told me, or had dreams about them. If I really did love him, then why did I only dream of loving Peeta? I must love him if I dream about him even after my concussion, right?

And Peeta told me that the love was real in the second games and when he got back from the Capitol. And the dream where I asked him to stay and he said always. He even finished the sentence for me when I was telling him about the dream. It must have been real. And there were no cameras on that train, at least not in my room and no cameras were in Peeta's room when we did that 'scene'.

I must love Peeta. The dreams are proof. My heart is leading me towards Peeta. It must be him. I may not really remember any of these people, but I am sure as heck that I want to try. Gale is probably just a friend, he wouldn't tell me my love with Peeta was fake if he was my real friend though, because I know I love Peeta.

Just as I am thinking that I wish Peeta was here, he shows up at my door. Can he read my mind or something?

"Hey." I say with a smile.

"Hi." He says and hands me a bunch of flowers. "I found these at Annie and Finnick's wedding and thought you might like them." He says. I give him a questioned look and he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "I'll tell you about them later." He laughs and takes a seat at the end of my bed but not before placing the flowers on my nightstand.

"Well, thank you." I say with a little laugh. "How are you?"

"Good." He replies. "How are you?"

"Good. But I haven't had a dream in a couple of days." I say, a little disappointed.

"I'm sure you'll get another one soon. Besides, I can tell you whatever you want to know." It's the tone in his voice that makes me trust him so much. I might even fully trust him, but I can't be sure.

"Okay. Tell me about the times before the games."

"We never really talked before the games." He says. "It was the games that brought us together in the first place."

"I'm sure we must have seen or done something to get each others attention before the games." I say.

"Well, when you were eleven, your dad had died a few years ago, and you were trying to sell your old baby clothes to get money for food, because your family was starving. I burnt a piece of bread on purpose so I could give it to you. My mother gave me a beating and told me to give it to the pigs, but when she went back inside, I threw the bread to you." He says.

"Why would you take a beating from your mother for me?"

"Because I loved you." He says. "I've loved you since I saw you sing on the first day of school. The teacher asked who knew 'The Valley Song' and your hand shot straight up. When you sang, even the Mockingjay's stopped to listen. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to marry you." He laughs at the end of the sentence.

"I think I remember." I say. "Not as a dream or memory, but for real. I actually remember it." His eyes fill with hope and happiness as the biggest grin I've ever seen shows up on his face. "The day after you gave me the bread, I wanted to say thank you. But I was too scared. I don't know why I was scared."

"I saw you that next day. I saw you outside the school and you were picking a dandelion." He says.

"A dandelion?" I ask.

"Yeah, a dandelion."

I smile. I may be improving. I had never been able to actually remember something that wasn't in a dream.

He starts leaning in closer and I close the distance between us, as we both share in a long, passionate kiss. This didn't feel like the kiss me and Gale shared. This one feels real. It's full of love and passion. I feel like this is like a kiss we've shared before. A quick image flashes to a beach, the arena, as Peeta had once told me. In the image, we are kissing.

" _What about you?" I ask him._

" _Nobody needs me." Peeta says._

" _I do, I need you." And we share a passionate kiss, similar to the one right now._

Just this one kiss brought on a memory, and I know this is the memory where I realize my true feelings for Peeta. I love him. I want to protect him. He is my life. This memory must have made a huge impact in my life, otherwise, I think I may have ended up with Gale. But I can't be sure.

I've never had this dream before, this is just a memory, something I can actually remember.

As soon as we part, I stare into his beautiful blue eyes and crave for more.

"I remember something from us on the beach." I say.

"Really?" He asks. "What was it?"

I tell him about our conversation on the beach and about the kiss and then I ask,

"Real or not real?"

"Real."

And at that moment, I know I love Peeta Mellark. I always have and I always will. I just wish I could remember more moments like that one that we shared. What scares me is that I may never fully retrieve my memory, that scares me more than anything right now.

But something much scarier was just down the road. And I had no control over it.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: HI!**

 **So, I don't know if the last chapter counts as a cliffhanger, but if you counted it as a cliffhanger, then I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but in case you can't tell, I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS!**

 **So, don't forget to review, follow, or favorites this story.**

 **Okay, this chapter is a bit similar to the book, but I changed a few things and added a MAJOR PLOT TWIST at the end.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 8- Peeta's POV**

I'm called to Command early, a few days after Katniss remembered our time on the Beach. I've visited her everyday since then, of course.

"Mr. Mellark." Coin greets me when I enter Command. In the room there are many people seated around the table, so I know this must be important. "Please, take a seat."

I take a seat next to Haymitch and Finnick as Coin starts talking.

"So, as you know, we've been training to go to the Capitol. With some changes in events, we were supposed to go a couple months ago. But we have rescheduled for the Star Squad to go tomorrow." Coin says. "The following soldiers will be part of the Star Squad and scheduled to leave tomorrow, Soldier Boggs, Hawthorne,Leegs I and 2, Odair, Jackson, Homes, Mitchell, and Mellark. Along with Squad 451, there will be a camera crew including, Cressida, Messala, Pollux, and Catsor. Any questions?"

I decide not to question her this time, because I am grateful that she is not sending Katniss into combat.

"Very well. You will be leaving tomorrow at eight am sharp. You are dismissed."

…...

I tell Katniss about my trip to the Capitol, and just as I thought, she refused to let me go. But I don't have a choice.

"I'll miss you." She cries before I board the hovercraft.

"I'll miss you too, but I have to go."

"B- but I don't want you to." She sobs. I embrace her in a hug and she warmly welcomes it. Before you know it we are both kissing each other madly.

"Come on, Mellark! We don't have all day!" Gale shouts coldly.

"Goodbye." I say, kissing her one more time before I get on the hovercraft and I am off to the Capitol.

…...

A few days into our trip at the Capitol, we have lost one person, Leeg 2. She stepped on a mislabeled pod, which sent darts shooting into her brain. We got word from Coin that she will be sending in a replacement for the dead Leeg sister.

As we're walking through the ruins of the Capitol, the car holding the new replacement shows up. Two guards open the back door and and Katniss steps out of the back, with a black armored suit and a gun strapped around her shoulder.

 **Katniss' POV**

I step off the back of the car and am met with a wide-eyed, obviously scared, Peeta.

"Katniss!" Peeta shouts, running towards me. "What the hell are you doing here?"

That's a really good question. Why am I here? I haven't had training, and if I did, I don't remember any of it. I can't fight. I can't use a weapon. So, why am I here?

"Coin told me I had to come in replacement of the Leeg sister." I tell him, although that may not be the only reason. But what would I know, I don't remember anything about the rebellion.

He gives me a hug and I warmly embrace him, happy to be in his arms again, but still scared of what might happen while we're here.

We start walking, on our way to the center of the Capitol, when Boggs steps on a pod and blows off his legs. I see Gale rush over to him.

 **(You'll understand later why it was Gale who went over to Boggs and not Katniss or Peeta.)**

I can't hear what they are saying, but I see Boggs give his Holo to Gale. He must be giving the security to him.

…...

Later that night, we make camp in an old Capitol house. I lie next to Peeta and rest my head on his shoulder.

"You tried to kill me in the first games. Real or not real?"

He seems shocked my my question.

"Not real. I joined the careers to keep them away from you."

After a moment I ask him one last question before falling asleep.

"Your still trying to protect me. Real or not real?"

"Real. 'Cause that's what you and I do, protect each other."

…...

Peacekeepers start coming out of nowhere and swarm us, the next day, as we are in the streets. Since I have forgotten how to fight, I am of no use and just get in everybody's way.

Peeta pulls me to the side and hides me under an old piece of a building until all the fighting is over. Leegs 2 sees a peacekeeper coming towards me with a gun and blocks me with her body, causing her to get shot.

"Leeg?" I say. "Leeg, don't die, please don't die." But I'm too late. She's gone because of me.

We continue through the streets. I keep thinking about why I'm even here, I never wanted to join the rebellion. I've never gotten any dreams or memories about the rebellion and I don't have any recall of battle training, so the only reason I can think of to be here is either just a sucky replacement, or I am meant to be killed.

I heard Peeta's pretty important in this rebellion, so maybe I was getting in his way. He was spending all his time with me, trying to make me remember, instead of what was important. Which was the rebellion.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when Mitchell steps on a pod which releases a tar like substance.

"Come on, Katniss!" Peeta shouts, pulling me along into a nearby house, the rest of the team follows quickly. When we get to the top floor of the house, the tar stops right on the last step.

"Okay, Hawthorne." Jackson says. "Give me the Holo."

"I can't!" Gale says. "Boggs transferred the security to me."

"Why would he do that?" Jackson asks. "I don't believe you."

"It's true." I say. "I saw."

"Then transfer the security to me." Jackson demands.

"I can't. I don't know how." Gale says. Jackson gets an angry look on her face, then pulls out her gun and points it towards Gale.

"I know you know how. Now transfer it over."

"I. Don't. Know." He says with force.

"Hey, knock it off. We can't afford to lose anybody at this point." I say.

"Katniss is right." Peeta says. "We can't lose anymore people."

"Fine. Let's just move on." Jackson says. "Homes, see if the tar will leave footprints."

Homes puts his foot on the tar and lifts it up to find there was no footprint, so we all leave and hide out in an old Capitol house where the TV comes on and announces our deaths.

"So, what's our next move?" Peeta asks.

"Isn't it obvious, our next move is to kill me." I say. "I've gotten people some our team killed and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't fight back."

"Katniss, that's not true." Peeta says, with a pained look on his face. "You couldn't have stopped those deaths. It's not your fault." I don't say anything after that.

The next morning Jackson tells us we have to travel underground, in the sewers, since everyone thinks we're dead, and we need to keep it that way. Pollux had spent 5 years in the sewers, so he will be able to navigate it for us.

The sewers are dark and wet, as expected, but much grosser than I thought it would be. I stick close to Peeta, holding his hand, the whole time.

We walk for six hours before making camp. We had found a ledge and figured it would be a good spot to spend the night.

After everyone falls asleep, I stay awake to keep watch. Peeta has his head resting on my shoulder, and I think it is so adorable.

My mind starts filling with images, and then memories.

" _Look daddy!" I shout at a man next to me. "I hit it right in the eye!"_

" _That's very good, Katniss!" He beams at me. "You wanna try it again?"_

" _Yeah." So, I take my bow, draw back an arrow, and aim for a squirrel. I let the arrow fly and it hits the squirrel right in the eye._

Then a new memory.

" _Mom!" I shout, tears in my eyes. "Mom! Please speak to me! Please!"_

 _My mother has a blank stare on her face and somehow I know why. My father has died in a mining accident. I remember that._

Suddenly, all my memories are stopped by a soft hissing sound. It's calling a single word, no a name.

" _Katniss..."_

I scoop Peeta off of me, being careful not to wake him, as I get up to get a closer look at the sound. I jump off the ledge and draw closer and closer to the sound, until I see a big group of lizard-like creatures coming towards me and the rest of the team.

"Run!" I shout as everyone jumps up. "Run!" I say again, everyone listens, but Peeta comes towards me and grabs my hand to pull me forward. We run in the opposite direction of the lizards. I'm not sure what these things are called, but I've had a dream before about something called a mutt and these seem like they could be counted as for what I saw in my dream.

We continue running until they start gaining on us, then they are coming out of every tunnel we pass, we reach a ladder, but at this point, we have no choice but to fight back.

I see Gale is using a gun to fight, but he has a bow and arrows strapped around his shoulders. I know how to use that, I got it from my memory.

"Gale! The bow!" I shout, and he already knows what I mean as he throws me the bow and arrows. I instinctively start shooting all the mutts that get near me. I wasn't this good at shooting in my memory, but I was like 8 in that memory.

As I'm shooting, everyone starts climbing the ladder. As Peeta gets on the ladder he calls out to me to come on.

"Go!" I yell at him. "I'm coming." I start running towards the ladder, as Peeta finishes climbing up. Now, Finnick and I are the only ones down here, but the group of mutts are blocking our way to the ladder.

I see Gale's Holo drop and I know I can hear beeping from it. He must have told it to self-destruct.

Finnick is so close to the Holo that it would kill him if it blew up. But it might kill me too.

"Finnick run!" I yell, but I'm too late. The Holo blows up, throwing me off the ground, as everything around me goes black.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey y'all!**

 **Have you heard? LionsGate is making a 5** **th** **Hunger Games movie?! This is what we've been waiting for. It's going to take place at the end of Mockingjay Part 2 and continue into the epilogue. At least that's what I heard, but I am 99.9% sure it is true and I am STOKED!**

 **Oh, and I found out that I write better when I am listening to music. :)**

 **Sorry this chapter took so long, I just needed a few days break from writing because my mind was going into overdrive, and if I write too much my writing will become sloppy and I won't work good. So, I took a short break and now I'm back on track. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 9**

 _Previously on The Boy with the Bread- Katniss' POV_

 _I see Gale's Holo drop and I know there is beeping coming from it. He must have told it to self-destruct._

 _Finnick is so close to the Holo that it would kill him if it blew up. But it might kill me too. So, I start running the opposite direction, and I yell to Finnick to do the same._

" _Finnick run!" I yell, but I'm too late. The Holo blows up, throwing me off the ground, I scream out in pain of the fire and from being hit on the concrete wall, as everything around me goes black._

 **Peeta's POV (A few minutes before the explosion)**

"Nightlock... Nightlock... Nightlock." Gale says into his Holo, and I know all too well what that means. We learned about this in training. Flick a switch, say "Nightlock" three times, then the Holo self-destructs.

Gale had directed Homes to hold me back before Gale took out the Holo. I knew then that I wouldn't like what would happen next.

"No!" I yell, as he drops the Holo down the ladder. Katniss was still down there, and that explosion would kill her. I cringe just thinking about it. I keep screaming at Gale when there is a huge explosion followed by Katniss' scream and then it is silent, besides my own screaming and crying. "You killed her!" I keep screaming at Gale. "You killed her! Now, I'm going to kill you!" I try breaking from Homes grips, but it doesn't work. I scream and scratch like a wild animal. "YOU KILLED HER!"

"Peeta, calm down!" Homes says.

"NO! HE KILLED HER! SHE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM!" I yell. Everyone decides to ignore my screaming for a second.

"Who will be the leader of the squad now that Jackson is dead?" Cressida asks, but I can barley hear her through all my screaming.

"Gale was Jackson's third in command, so he has to lead." Homes says, while struggling to restrain me.

"NO! HE KILLED HER!" I scream. "YOU CAN'T LET A MURDURER LEAD US!"

"Gale has to lead us." Cressida says harshly. "It's not your decision, it was Jackson's."

"Just let me go see her." I beg with tears in my eyes.

"I'm sorry Peeta. We have to leave." Cressida tells me softly. I reluctantly obey.

We hide out in a clothes shop, owned by a lady named Tigris. Cressida told us she knew her, so I guess she can be trusted. Tigris leads us to a basement filled with fabrics and clothes where we can spend the night. The plan is to send two people in the morning to President Snow's mansion so we can kidnap him, and if we have to, kill him right there. We were going to kill him to start with, but President Coin wants to have a whole event for his death.

I try to sleep that night, but it is pointless. I can't sleep knowing that Katniss is dead. All my dreams have been shattered. I wanted to spend the rest of my life, but now that will never happen. She died too young, and I will not let Snow get away with taking Katniss away from me.

"I'm sorry about Katniss." I'm brought out of my thoughts by Gale's voice. He is now sitting next to me, and I now realize my face is covered with tears, so I quickly wipe them away.

"I hope your happy now. She's gone." I say. "You should've waited. She would have made it up the ladder, but you dropped a bomb on her before she could."

"I wanted to help her, honestly. But if I had waited any longer, those mutts may have gotten us. Then we would have all been dead." He says. "You would've done the same, if it meant saving your whole team."

"I would never do that!" I argue.

"No, admit it, you would."

"If you were down there then I would have."

"How's it any different with Katniss? Huh?"

"Because I love her." I say, harshly. "You don't kill someone you love."

"Those mutts would have killed her anyway." He says. "I just put her out of her misery."

"No, she could've fought them off. And I was going to help her. But you killed her before I got the chance." I say. "You killed her, you did! Do you even feel sorry?"

"Of course. She was my best friend. I'll never go one day and not feel sorry for what I did. But it was for the best." He says. "Besides, it wasn't me who wanted her killed."

"What do you mean?"

"Coin told me that I needed to make sure she died. I wasn't going to listen, but she had told me it would fuel the war. And she knows I'll do anything for the war, but I didn't think it would go that far. I was only going to kill her if I absolutely had to. If I didn't kill her when I did, our whole team would be dead."

"I can't believe you! You lied!"

"How did I lie?"

"You said Katniss was your best friend, but people don't kill their best friends. And don't forget that it wasn't just Katniss that died, you killed Finnick too. You killed two innocent people to fuel the rebellion." I say, and I get up to sit on the other side of the room, because I don't want to talk to this traitor anymore. I can't believe he killed Katniss to fuel the rebellion. What a jerk.

Of course, rage isn't my only feeling right now, I'm also full of sadness. I vowed to myself that I would put my life in danger to protect Katniss, but I failed. I failed miserably, and now there's no going back on the mistake I've made.

I fall asleep and dream about Katniss. I dream about every kiss, every touch, every word. I dream about everything, and it only makes me miss her more. I am suddenly shook awake by Cressida.

"Peeta! They found her! They found Katniss and she's alive!"

 **A/N: This chapter is shorter than usual, but after taking a little break from writing, I wanted to have this up for you guys as soon as possible... and I really just wanted to do another cliffhanger, because you guys know how much I love cliffhangers.**

 **Oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger, but this is how I live, cliffhangers. :)**

 **Hope you liked this chapter, I had fun writing it, so I hope you have fun reading it. I'll have the next chapter up ASAP.**

 **Peace out, homies.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: What the HELL is wrong with me?! It's been almost a month since I've updated and I suck for doing that to you guys! But, if you guys don't review and tell me you want me to update, then I won't update. So you guys put this on yourselves, because I am very serious about reviews and if you guys only post 2 reviews in a month then I just won't update. You guys didn't even ask me to update faster after I left you off with a cliffhanger! Which proves, you guys don't like my story. Man guys, you really cut me deep there... you really cut me deep...**

 **Sorry for being so harsh, but you guys need to get reviewing!**

 **Important stuff: I am working on the new 'Mockingjay Captured' since I told you guys I would do that, but I won't be posting it until I'm done with this story, or close to the very end. I know that is a long time away, because this is only the 10** **th** **chapter and I want this to be another long story.**

 **Ugh! I hate how long I make these author notes! I need to stop talking and just write.**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games, all rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 10**

I can't believe it! Katniss is alive! But I can't help but feel guilty for leaving the tunnel without checking on Katniss. She could have been here the whole time with us and being taken care of her wounds, but I didn't check on her when I should have.

"Where is she?" I ask Cressida.

"She's up here." She gestures towards the cellar door, I quickly jump up and run out of the basement. When I open the door, I immediately see Tigris attending to a bloody and burned, unconscious Katniss. My hand draws to my mouth in shock as tears fill my eyes. I sit right next to Katniss on the ground and take her hand as Tigris cleans up the blood and then puts burn medicine over the scars. Katniss could have died and I can't help thinking that it was partly my fault. I couldn't feel worse than I feel now.

After all the burn medicine is applied, Pollux and I carry Katniss' unconscious body into the basement. We lie her down in a pile of fur covered fabrics, and I sit up next to her waiting for her to wake up. A few hours into the night Katniss starts to stir and her eyes flutter open.

"Peeta?" She asks with her eyes barley parted. I can't help but smile.

"Yes! Yes, it's me!" I smile, tears filling my eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Hm... I've been better." She says weakly. "Where are we?"

"In the basement of a clothes shop." I say.

"Oh. What happened?"

"There... there was an explosion in the sewers..."

"How did the explosion happen?" She asks, her eyebrows cross in confusion. When I don't answer, she asks again but with more force.

"Gale made his Holo self- destruct." I say.

"I- I thought he was my friend? But, he tried to kill me?" She asks. "Did anybody get killed?"

"Yeah... Finnick." I answer quietly.

"Did you get hurt?" She asks quickly.

"No." I say. She sighs in relief.

 **Katniss' POV**

We all go to sleep, but are awoken by a TV turning on and playing the Capitol anthem, as soon as the anthem is over President Snow shows up on the screen.

"Hello, Panem." President Snow greets. "As you know, we may a public announcement about the death of Ms. Katniss Everdeen and several other rebels and victors. It seems they have somehow survived. If you see any of these rebels you will report it to a peacekeeper immediately. Furthermore, since these rebels have taken so much from us, we've decided to take something that belongs to them." The screen flashes to a group of rebels, but I can't help but notice the small figure near the back of the group. The girl that I've known my whole life (although I forgot about her for a long time.) the girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. Prim.

"If the rebels do not surrender soon, there will be consequences." He warns. "You, rebels, have 48 hours or else." And that's when the TV turns black and I'm heaving for air. _He has Prim! He has Prim! He's going to kill her!_

"H- he has Prim!" I heave. "He's going to kill her!"

"Katniss!" Peeta hugs me. "Calm down, she'll be okay."

"NO! He'll kill her!" I cry. "He'll kill her!"

"Ssh..." Peeta coaxes to try and calm me. I stop screaming, but I keep sobbing, not caring that there are other people down here. "It'll be okay." He gently rocks me back and forth for a certain amount of time and kisses my forehead.

I snuggle my head into his chest as I sob. This can't be happening. My little duck could die. No, I can't think like that! Think positive.

I'm positive she's going to die, I think as I sob louder.

"Ssh... It's okay."

I don't know when, but I eventually fall asleep to the sound of Peeta's heartbeat.

 **A/N: Short chapter for ya folks... sorry, but if you really want me to continue then review before I rip my hair out...**

 **BYE! LOVE YA FOLKS!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Question time!**

 **Why did Gale try to kill Katniss if he didn't have to? Simple, he wasn't going to go along with Coin's plan to kill Katniss, but he knew that if he didn't cause that explosion, everyone else would likely die too. He saw this as a chance to go along with the plan, but make it seem like he didn't do it on purpose.**

 **Why would you write about Prim being sent to the Capitol? Well, I knew she had died in the Capitol in the book by the explosion, I wanted Prim to die in the Capitol (not saying I want her dead) but I didn't want her to die the same way.**

 **I think that's all the questions. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask and I'll answer it on the next question time chapter. I'll probably do this every couple of chapters.**

 **OMG! I just have to say that I had to say that my dog was on my bed and she pressed the delete button and deleted my whole chapter so I had to start all over again. Luckily I only did one paragraph, but I was proud of that paragraph and I don't even remember what I wrote.**

 **We need more EVERLARK, don't we? I feel like I haven't written hardly any in the past couple of chapters, but they are in the middle of war. I guess I could squeeze in a little everlark for this chapter. Don't worry, there will be much more after they win the war and we get into the peace of Panem.**

 **Sorry if this chapter has some spelling errors, my brother kept talking to me on purpose, just to infuriate me! And it worked! I couldn't concentrate on writing.**

 **Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Hunger Games.**

I wake up wrapped in Peeta's arms. Today is the day we march into President Snow's mansion and kidnap him. I will get my little sister back from his disgusting, evil hands if it's the last thing I do. He has no right to take my little sister from me. How did he even get to her? Wasn't she safe in District 13? And why was Coin not protecting all those government officials who were captured? What does Snow want with my little sister?

All these questions are clogging my mind. Questions that are out of my reach. Questions that I cannot answer, not yet.

I feel Peeta stir beside me and I know he is about to wake up, but is not fully awake yet. I kiss his forehead in an attempt to wake him up. He stirs a little more and a smile creeps onto his face, so I know he must be awake now that he is smiling.

"Peeta, wake up." I whisper to him. He only turns a little but goes right back to sleep. "Peeta." I laugh. "Get up, everyone else is going to be up soon."

"Mm... Just a few more minutes." He moans in his early morning voice.

"No get up!" I giggle. "Peeta, please get up."

"What do I get out of it?" He teases.

"Kisses."

"Deal." He says immediately.

I lean over and give him a kiss on the lips, he starts kissing me back and soon we're stuck in a three minute kiss. We don't even realize everyone is awake and watching us until we pull apart. They're all smirking and smiling at us.

"What?" I snap. I think that was a glimpse of my old personality, before I lost all my memories. I remember having memories where I acted somewhat like that. I don't know.

They all look away after I snap at them.

"You acted like yourself again." Peeta observes.

"I thought I did, but I wasn't sure." I say honestly. "Do you not like me like that?"

"Katniss, I'll always love you, no matter what."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." He gives the sweetest smile I've ever seen, I can't help but kiss his lips.

"I love you too." I say.

"Always?"

"Always." I answer.

"Okay, love birds." Cressida laughs. "It's time to go."

"What's the plan?" I ask.

"You and Peeta head towards the mansion first, in disguises provided by Tigris. Homes and I will go next and Cressida will stay here." Gale says. "After you get in the crowd of people, keep your head down. I'll give you all nightlock pills so if you get captured you can take one and it will painlessly kill you. If someone gets captured, do not, under any circumstance, go back for them, just keep going towards Snow's mansion. Got it?" Everyone nods their head in agreement, although I'm not too comfortable with the plan. I don't want to leave anybody behind, especially Peeta, if anyone gets captured. I can't just let the peacekeepers have them and use them as their little dog toy!

"Ready, Katniss?" I'm brought out of my thoughts by Peeta's voice.

"Yeah." I say. "Let's go." We get our disguises on quickly.

Peeta and I head out the door into the crowd of people. In the distance we can hear President Snow's voice recording over loud speakers.

"All Capitol citizens, please make your way to my mansion where we will provide you with food, clothing, and shelter." The speakers repeat over and over again.

Once we are in the crowd of people, Peeta and I put our heads down, avoiding eye contact it with anyone. I look up once to see our surroundings and notice peacekeepers checking every face they come across. I nudge Peeta's arm to get his attention. He looks up and sees the peacekeepers.

"Turn around." He tells me. We were almost to Snow's mansion, but we can't go now, we'll get caught. These peacekeepers are obviously looking for us and we can't risk getting any closer.

I'm just about to turn around when I hear my name being called by a feminine voice.

"Katniss!" She screams. I know this voice, it's Prim.

Peeta doesn't hear it, or see me. I don't want him to follow me, so I have to go towards Prim without him seeing me.

I walk a little slower than Peeta, following him for a split second and then turning around to go towards Prim's voice.

"Katniss!" Prim screams. I can't see her, but I know where the voice is coming from. Once I'm far enough away from Peeta, I see her. A peacekeeper has a hold of her and a gun pointed towards her temple.

"PRIM!" I scream and start running towards her. I almost get close enough to her to touch when the peacekeeper pulls the trigger and my little duck falls to the ground, dead. "NO!" I scream and look up to the peacekeeper with pure hatred in my eyes. I don't even speak to him, I just pull my bow out of my clothes that kept it hidden and aim for his scull. He aims his gun at me, but I shoot him before he can pull the trigger. He's dead.

I kneel down next to Prim and cry. "No..." I sob. I hear something overhead that sounds like multiple hovercraft's, but I don't bother to look up. How could this happen to my little duck? Why would someone be so cruel as to kill an innocent little girl?

I'm brought right out of my thoughts when there is an explosion, knocking me backwards and catching fire to my garments. Everything is a blur after that. I can barely make out my name being called by, who I assume to be, Peeta. But the bombs don't stop there. I can hear another round of bombs go off, but too far to touch me. Everything after that is blackness.

I wake up in a hospital bed with my mother by my side caring for my burns. Also in the room is Peeta and Haymitch.

"Hey honey." Peeta says. "How are you feeling?" I don't answer, just nod my head sadly.

"The wars over." Haymitch tells me. "After Snow set off those bombs, killing a group of Capitol children, everyone was against Snow for being so cruel."

At least I can be happy that the war is over, but I really have nothing else to care for anymore. Prim is dead. She was everything to me. I have nothing now. I don't want to have anything. I don't deserve him, he deserves much better. All I've done for my whole life was kill. I've killed animals, children, adults. I'm a monster. Most everything I remember about myself is all the killing I've done and there's a lot.

"Can I go home?" I ask, even though I know my home was destroyed and no one lives there. I just want to be alone. Forever.

"No." Haymitch tells me. "You have to stay here for Snow's trial and if you still want to, you can do the honor of killing him.

I don't want to kill anymore, but this man has taken everything from me. My memory. My home. My sanity. My sister. I have to be the one to kill this man.

"Yes, I want to kill him. I have to." I reply. I look to Peeta and want him so bad, but I know I don't deserve him and that he should be allowed to live a happy life with someone he loves.

After a while everyone leaves, except for Peeta.

"You don't have to stay here." I say. "I understand."

"I'm not going anywhere." He tells me.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I love you. I promised I would love you forever and I will." He says. "You promised me too, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." I say. "But I don't deserve you. I remember Haymitch telling me once I could live a hundred life times and not deserve you. He was right." Tears fill my eyes.

Peeta caresses my cheek, pulling my eyes up forcing me to look at him.

"Hey, that's not true. You understand me?" He tells me. "I don't care what Haymitch said, he was probably drunk at the time anyways."

"You got that right." I smirk. "But I don't know. I want you to live a happy life with someone who deserves you. I could never make you happy."

"Katniss, I don't want anyone else. I only want you. You are the only person who could ever make me happy. Do you understand me? I couldn't live without you in my life. I love you."

I start sobbing uncontrollably and Peeta wraps me in his arms.

"I love you too." I sob. "I love you so damn much."

"Katniss, now that this war is over, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Will you marry me?"

I smile. "You don't even have to ask. Of course I'll marry you. I love you."

"I love you too."

 **A/N: Snow is getting killed next chapter, so stay tuned...**

 **Love y'all!**

 **Don't forget to review... BYE!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey y'all! How's life been? My mind is, like, super refreshed right now because I took a long, enjoying hike up a mountain and I've never felt more alive.**

 **Hope y'all will enjoy this chapter, and don't forget, if you have any questions, just leave a review and ask me and on the next question time I will answer it. They can be questions about my story, me, a math question, anything! You just gotta ask.**

 **ENJOY AND REVIEW!**

 **Disclaimer: I don not own the Hunger Games, all rights and work go to and belong to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 12**

Killing Snow. That's the only thought I've had on my mind all day. This evening is when I take the last arrow of war, and kill Snow... to end this war once and for all.

Snow's death will be a public event. Everyone in the Capitol will be there in the audience, while people from other districts either take a train to the Capitol or watch it live from their televisions. And once that arrow goes through his skull, the war will be over for good. No more threat of being killed. No more starving families. No more Snow.

"Katniss." Haymitch comes into the room I've been staying in at in Snow's mansion. "Coin is asking to see you in Snow's conference room."

"Okay." I answer as he leads me down the hall into the old conference room. In the conference room there is a large circular table, sitting there is all the remaining victors and Coin. I take an empty seat next to Peeta. Peeta smiles at me and I smile back.

"Okay!" Coin says, grabbing our attention. "We have a few things to discuss. First of all, Panem needs a president until the election is held. So, I will be the president of Panem until all the citizens are over their grief to vote, which could take a couple months, considering all the hardships everyone has suffered. Any questions about that?"

"Why are you going to be the president?" I ask harshly. "Was there a vote or are you just choosing yourself worthy of watching over all these people?"

"Ms. Everdeen, do you really believe this country is well enough at the moment to choose a different president?"

"I'm sure if people had a minute to get to know you, they would surely pick a different person immediately."

"Katniss." Peeta warns. I decide to stop talking before I'm put on the death row with President Snow.

"Second of all," Coin says. "As the new president of Panem, I am declaring a new Hunger Games for the Capitol children. Let them see what it's like to be ripped from your family and killed." Everyone's mouth has dropped open to this news. "Of course, I will not proceed without a vote. All in favor of holding the Hunger Games?"

"I think we should do it." Johanna smirks. "Snow has a granddaughter, I'd love to see how that turns out."

"Do it." Enobaria growls.

"No!" Annie responds. "We started this war to stop the Hunger Games and now you want to bring it back again? That's sick and twisted."

"It's now down to you three." Coin says, staring at me, Peeta and Haymitch.

"I say no." Haymitch says. "It's not right."

"Katniss?" Coin beckons me to answer.

"Yes." I say. "For Prim."

"I'm with Katniss." Peeta says.

"Very well then, we will hold another annual Hunger Games."

A tear escapes my eye. What have I done? Why would I agree to that? Because I'm a murderer, just like everyone else will be when they are put into that arena? More children dying each year will be put on me. I can't take back my vote, but I can stop these Hunger Games from happening.

"Katniss? Are you okay?" I'm brought out of my thoughts by Peeta's voice.

I don't answer him, I just get up and walk away. I don't want to talk to anybody right now, just want to be alone before I have to, once again, murder somebody.

I go into my room and make sure I have everything ready for the execution. I have my costume, bow and arrows, and a nightlock pill, just in case. In just a few hours I'll be heading out to the Capitol square for the execution.

I keep my costume and other things on my bed because the execution isn't for another couple hours.

A few minutes later, there is a knock at my door.

"Come in." I say. The door opens and Peeta comes in.

"Katniss?" He comes in and takes a seat next to me on my bed. "Is something wrong?"

"No." I barely get out.

"I can tell something is bothering you. You can tell me anything, we are getting married after all."

"I don't want to talk about it." I say coldly, he seems hurt by this and I know I've messed up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset." He says painfully. "I'll just leave."

"No, Peeta, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so harsh." I apologize. "I just don't know what to do. I agreed for another Hunger Games to be held and now innocent children are going to die. All I was thinking about then was Prim, so I agreed without really thinking about it. Now, innocent children are going to die because of what I agreed to."

"Katniss, it'll be okay. There were lots of other people who said yes too, including me."

"You only agreed because I did, I know you wanted to say no."

"Katniss, I am with you this whole way. I will never abandon you and if you said yes, then I am with you the whole way. No doubt about it."

"You promise?"

"Always." He smiles.

"Thank you, Peeta. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Just by being you." He replies with a smile. A smile creeps onto my face too.

"You should go get ready now." I tell him. "We'll be leaving soon."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too." I give him a kiss on the lips and then he parts from my side.

…...

This is it, the moment Panem has been waiting for. The execution of President Snow.

I walk slowly down the pathway, leading to the square of the Capitol, where President Snow is tied to a pole awaiting death.

In the middle of the square stands Peeta, Haymitch and Johanna, all awaiting the first glances of Snow's execution.

I get to Snow and await the approval by President Coin.

"Welcome," Coin announces. "to the final moments of life from your tyrant, Coriolanus Snow. Mockingjay, may your arrow be the last arrow of war as we enter into a world of peace. Let your arrow signify your heart and may your aim be as true as your heart is pure."

At that I ready my arrow, concentrating intently on Snow, as I stare right into his snake-like eyes. The eyes that made me do things I didn't want to do. The eyes that took Peeta away from me. The eyes that ripped me from my family. Only, it's not Snow's eyes I'm looking into, I'm staring directly into the fierce gray eyes of President Coin. Before I know it, my arrow is directly in her heart. This is what the nightlock was for. To kill myself after I kill Coin so I am not tortured anymore by the things of the past.

I drop my bow and quickly try and grab the nightlock pills out of my Mockingjay costume, before the crowds of people behind me can't kill me in a much more gruesome way than what is about to befall me. As the pills come out of my pocket, they are suddenly taken away.

"Peeta, let me go!" I yell at him for taking the option of death away from me.

"I can't... I won't." He tells me.

"If you ever loved me at all, you would let me-" I'm cut off when I am pulled by my arms, away from Peeta, as the crowd kills off Snow themselves.

"Let go of her!" I hear Peeta yelling, but soon he is out of sight, hidden among the many people in the crowd. I can only faintly hear him yelling for me.

Soon, I am taken into the building I lived at before the games. The two men holding onto me push me into the old training center, but all the weapons were removed once Snow was captured. I am then left alone in the training center, but it only reminds me of a prison cell. A very large and lonely prison cell. I wonder when they will kill me. They may give me a couple more days to live before I am put to death.

Days pass by, and still I have not been put to death for murdering the new president of Panem. I hope this means there won't be another Hunger Games. If so, then I have done my job.

The door suddenly opens and I expect it to be a guard to carry me off to my death, but it's only Haymitch.

"What do you want?" I snap.

"There's the girl we've all been waiting to hear from." He says, referring to me using my old personality, before my mind was 'taken away'. "I just came to tell you that we're going home."

"Home? District 12 was destroyed."

"Not the Victors Village, we'll just be staying in our old homes. They were going to send you to a doctor after the war to help you out, but now everyone thinks your insane, so your being sent to stay in District 12, I volunteered to go with you."

"What about Peeta?" I ask.

"The last thing I heard was that he wasn't coming."

"Why?" I ask, a little hurt that Peeta would leave me like that.

"I don't know. He did sound pretty convinced when he said he was staying though." He tells me. How could Peeta just leave me? Doesn't he love me? He said he would love me forever, was it a lie? As if reading my thoughts Haymitch says, "he still loves you."

"No, he doesn't love me anymore. I know that now. I don't think it was ever real." I say, pained.

Haymitch simply sighs and tells me we have to go now.

My heart is pained the whole train ride home. I've lost the only person I've ever been in love with. I guess I always knew, deep inside, that it really was only for the cameras. How could he love someone, like me, who can't even remember the personal moments. The moments we shared that were so special. The moments we're we weren't acting. The moments when it was all real. I only remember a few of those moments, and I don't know if there's anymore than I already know.

What pains me the most is that Peeta doesn't want to spend his life with me. He doesn't want to help me remember. He doesn't want to be with me. He left me and that's what hurt me the most. He promised to love me forever, when it only lasted a couple months.

I know if I truly love him, I'll let him go. Let him live the life he wants with some other girl who could make him happier than I could ever. I just hope he can find happiness, unlike me. Everyone I love is gone. Prim is gone. I don't even know where my mother is. Peeta abandoned me. I have nothing. Honestly, Haymitch is all I have left. The only memories I have of him are being drunk and wise. But in all those memories, he's still drunk, no matter how wise he is acting.

Once the train comes to a halt, Haymitch and I get off. Haymitch leads me to the Victors Village, since I don't remember where it is, and points me to my house. I quickly go into my house, wanting so bad to be alone.

For days I am depressed and don't eat anything or leave the comfort of my home. One day, a lady, who I assume used to live here, comes to my door.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I know you don't remember me, but my name is Greasy Sae. I used to work in the hob and you and I were great friends." She tells me.

"Oh... well it's nice to see you." I say in my hoarse voice. "But, what are you doing here?"

"Haymitch called one of the doctors from the Capitol, because he was worried about you. So, they sent me here to take care of you and make sure you don't hurt yourself."

"I don't need help. I'm doing fine on my own."

"I don't believe you, now are you going to let me in, or am I going to stand out in this cold forever?"

"Oh, sorry. Come on in... I guess."

After that, Greasy Sae takes care of me, even though I protested. She makes me meals and makes sure I take my depression pills the Capitol sent me.

Weeks pass, and I'm getting no better. I miss Peeta so much, but I don't want to see him if he doesn't love me.

After weeks comes months. All my hope of Peeta ever coming back is gone. I guess I kinda wished he would come back, but so far, he hasn't.

One day, after those hard 3 months, there is a knock at my door.

"What are you doing here?" I ask...

 **A/N: Who's behind the door?**

 **Can you guess? You probably can, but I want you guys to review and give me some guesses to who you think it is.**

 **BYE!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I'm back... YAY!**

 **So, I wanted Katniss and Peeta to grow back together, like they did in the book, so I'm sorry for how cold Katniss is towards Peeta. Trust me, this was SO hard for me to write.**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **WARNING: EMOTIONAL CHAPTER! VERY EMOTIONAL! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!**

 **Disclaimer: I don not own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 13**

"What are you doing here?" I ask Peeta.

"I came home." He tells me.

"I don't want to talk to you." I look down, not meeting his gaze. "You left me."

"Katniss, I understand how you feel and I'm sorry. But-" I cut him off.

"Don't talk to me." I say as I shut the door in his face.

"Katniss!" He screams through the door.

I lean against the door, slide down it, curl myself in a ball, and cry. I stay like this for a few hours, not realizing that Peeta stopped trying to yell to me through the door. He must have gone home or something. But I don't care, he hurt me more than I could ever imagine. I don't think I can ever forgive him for leaving me for three whole months.

I fall asleep right there by the door. I never seem to sleep in my bed anymore, just wherever I find myself. One time I even fell asleep at the kitchen table.

Waking up is always the same. I always have puffy eyes from crying the night before and my hair is always in a mess, but I never brush it. This morning is no different. Puffy eyes and messy hair. I get up from my spot on the floor and make my way to the kitchen for water.

I still can't believe Peeta just showed up at my house last night after being gone for three months.

A knock at the door brings me out of my thoughts. It better not be Peeta. But part of me is praying it is. Only, when I open the door, it's only Greasy Sae.

"Oh... hi." I say.

"Well you sound excited to see me." She says.

"Sorry, I was just expecting someone else."

"Oh, it was that Peeta boy, wasn't it?"

"What?! No!" I say quickly.

"Well you certainly weren't expecting Haymitch." She laughs.

I really have nothing to say to that so I just answer her with, "come on in."

She comes in and immediately goes to the kitchen to start breakfast. Today she makes eggs and toast with orange juice.

"Thank you." I tell her when she hands me my plate, but I only eat a few bites and I'm finished. "I'm going hunting." I tell her and leave.

When I leave the house I glance over to Peeta's house, longing to be in his arms, but knowing I can't because of what he did to me.

I clear these thoughts from my head and continue my trek into the woods. Once there, I grab the bow and arrows that I remember leaving in an old tree trunk. I had one memory of this, and after that I started hunting when I felt upset, which is a lot of the time.

I shoot down three squirrels and two rabbits. I left my game bag at home, so I just carry them with me. Before leaving the woods though, I go to the lake where my father taught me to swim. It's about a ten minute walk, so I put the animals I shot into a tree trunk and start heading to the lake.

Once at the lake, I take my shoes off and soak my feet in the water. It feels nice on my toes as the sun shines brightly on my face, causing me to doze off. I daydream about Peeta, but know there's no way I can go back to him, especially after the way he treated me. But I can't help but miss him.

I realize how dark it is getting so I start heading home. As I enter into my home, I didn't expect anybody to be there, but Greasy Sae is.

"Hi, Sae." I say. "What are you doing here?"

"Peeta stopped by, he told me he wanted to talk to you, so I stayed here so I could tell you." She replies.

"Ugh... I have nothing to say to him." I reply coldly.

"Stop being so stubborn and talk to the boy! If you knew the real reason he was gone, you would forgive him in a heartbeat."

"So, you know why he was gone so long?"

"Of course I know, he told me while he was here." She says.

"Why don't you just tell me right now." I offer.

"I think you'd better hear it form him."

"Ugh, fine." I whine. I really don't want to listen to him, but if it means that much to him I guess I'll do it. I do still love him, more than anything, I just hate how much he hurt me. He had better have a good reason for leaving me so long.

"Well, are you going to go?" Sae asks.

"Right now? But it's dark out?"

"Go!" She says harshly.

"Fine." I sigh heavily and leave out the front door.

Once I'm at Peeta's front door, I slowly knock on the door, hoping he doesn't hear me. A few seconds later he's opening the door. I'm debating whether or not to run off so I don't have t do this. But it's too late now.

"You came." He observes.

"Greasy Sae said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah... um, come on in." He offers.

"I'd rather stand out here." I harshly say.

"Okay. Well, um, I just wanted to let you know that I didn't leave you. I was in the Capitol getting some therapy by some doctors, and they wouldn't let me leave until my treatment was done." He explains, but I'm not fully convinced.

"Why didn't you ever call? Or write to me?" I ask.

"I did, everyday. But you never answered."

"I never answered my phone... or checked the mail." I say.

"Look... I'm really sorry about all of this."

"No, you don't have to be sorry about anything. I'm the one who should be sorry, I've been terrible to you, and there's nothing I can do to make it better... I'm sorry." Tears stream down my face as I speak. I can't believe how self-centered I have been. I have never felt worse in my entire life. "I guess I'll just leave now. I'm sorry for wasting your time." And with that I walk off, not looking back, but not looking forward. I look downwards as I take the devastating walk home, which only takes a few seconds, but it feels like forever.

"Katniss!" Peeta calls out. "Katniss, wait!"

I don't turn around, I just keep going towards my house. I don't want to face him again, to have to feel so selfish whenever I talk to him.

Peeta grabs a hold of my shoulder and turns me around.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for." He tells me. "I get it, you were going through a hard time, and I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry, I can't let you go. I promised I would love you forever and I'm sticking to that promise."

"I don't know..." I choke out. "I'm sorry, I-I just... don't want to have a serious relationship right now. I'm sorry, I know you love me in a different way than just friendship, but right now, I don't think I can handle that... I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He says, but I can sense the pain in his voice. "We'll just be friends... just friends." He whispers towards the end of his sentence.

"Goodbye, Peeta." I say, pained, tears streaming down my face. I don't let him answer, I just walk away, back home, into my hole of darkness...

 **A/N: Hope that wasn't too sad, but I really wanted Katniss and Peeta to grow back together, like they did in the book and movie.**

 **BYE!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Honestly, I have NO idea what the heck this chapter will be about, so I'll make it up as I go.**

 **I got a great idea the other day! Since you guys liked the story 'Always' so much, I thought I'd make a prequel, taking place between the end and the epilogue. Let me know what you think in the reviews and if you do want me to do it, I'll get started on that right away.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES!**

 **Chapter 14**

I don't hear from Peeta for a while after that one night. It's been two whole weeks. Either he's so mad at me he can't even look at me, or he is still recovering from the war, like me. I think it's the first one, considering how cruel I've been. But I can't think about that now.

I'm sitting on the couch, wrapped in blankets, too depressed to do anything, when I hear a small crash come from the kitchen. I get up slowly to see what it is, when I enter the kitchen, I see Prim's old cat, Buttercup. Seeing this doesn't make me sad, or happy, but rather mad.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" I scream, while picking up cups and other glass items, and start throwing them at Buttercup. "SHE'S GONE! SHE'S DEAD AND SHE'S NOT COMING BACK, SO JUST GET OUT!" I move closer to Buttercup, tears streaming down my face. "She's dead." I say quieter. "She's never coming back." Buttercup looks positively terrified at this point, but doesn't move from his spot. "She's dead." My voice is so hoarse and broken at this point, and I can't hold in all the tears that come streaming down my face. This is the worst I've ever cried, and I have a pretty good reason for that.

I feel bad about throwing things at Buttercup and terrifying him more than I could ever imagine.

"Come here." I say in a low, soothing voice. "I'm sorry." I pick him up and hold him tight as I crumple to the ground, sobbing so much I'm surprised I can still breathe.

I've lost everything. Everything I've ever cared about. I lost Prim. I lost Peeta. I lost Finnick. I have nothing. I don't even know where my mother is or what happened to Gale. I've been cut off from the rest of the world and there's nothing I can do about it.

 **Peeta's POV**

I hear crashes and screams coming from Katniss' house. Even though I haven't seen or talked to her in two weeks, I decide to check on her to make sure she's not hurting herself. I do miss her a lot, but I don't think she'd want to see me, that's why I never came to see her after that night.

I open her door, and by now the screaming has stopped, but instead, replaced with sobbing. By now I'm searching for where the sobbing is coming from, I know it belongs to Katniss, but I can't figure where it is. I then enter into the kitchen and see her curled on the ground wrapped in blankets, and holding tightly onto Prim's old cat, Buttercup.

Just by the sight of her, I can see how broken she really is. I know she can't get through this on her own, she can't heal from this on her own.

"Katniss?" I finally say, edging closer to her. She looks up and sees me, but quickly looks back down into her knees. "Katniss, what's wrong?" I ask, although I know very well why she's like this. I silently sit down next to her on the ground.

She keeps sobbing and I don't know what to do. Should I comfort her? How do I comfort her in a friendly way and not romantically?

"It's okay, Katniss." I say soothingly. I hug her just to be comforting, but really I wish I could hug her like this anytime.

"She's dead." She whispers. "She's dead and I couldn't save her."

"You did the best you could." I tell her.

"But I didn't do enough." She argues. "She had her whole l-life ahead of her. S-she would have been a great person. S-she couldn't even finish her doctor training." She sobs.

I hold her tight, and she let's me. Even when she stops crying she won't let me go. But this can't mean anything, right? We're just friends and my arms will always be here to comfort her.

 **Back to Katniss' POV**

As Peeta comforts me I feel a feeling I haven't felt in a long time. A feeling I've never truly felt...

Safe.

I've always been trying to survive and keep my family alive, and in all that time I could never feel safe with the threat of death, which could have been just around the corner.

The kiss on the beach comes to mind. I had gotten that memory back into my head a couple months ago. I remember feeling safe when I was in Peeta's arms on the beach. I felt like the whole world around me had vanished and we weren't really fighting in an arena to the death.

When Peeta gets up to leave, I stop him.

"Peeta... stay with me?"

"Okay." He smiles, retaking his position next to me. After a moment he whispers, "Always."

We soon fall asleep on the kitchen floor, with Buttercup curled up on both of our laps.

When we wake up, it's dark outside, so we get up and I start a fire in the fireplace.

"Katniss, did you see this letter?" He asks from another part of the house.

"I never checked the mail." I say. "Why?"

"It's from Annie." He replies, coming into the kitchen with the letter in his hand.

"Read it." I tell him.

"Dear Katniss and Peeta, I wanted to write to you and tell you about everything that's been going on. First of all, Katniss' mom has been living with me here in District 4. She is working as a healer at the hospital. Gale got became a Commander in District 2. He helps lead the army of District 2 and travels to teach other armies. As for me, I am spending everyday with my son, who reminds me everyday of his father. We owe it to ourselves that our world is now in peace and that our children can live full, happy lives without the threat of death."

"You'll be happy to know," Peeta continues. "That the new president has been elected from District 8. She was the leader there, but will now take on the role as leader of Panem. She will be having her coordination on November 27th at 8:00 pm. I hope you are both finding peace. -Annie." He then hands me a picture of Annie and her son hugging, finally in peace.

"November 27th?" I ask. "That's today."

"Looks like they will broadcast it on TV in an hour. Should we call Haymitch over to watch it with us?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'll make dinner for the three of us, you can go get him."

"Okay."

An hour later, we are at the dining room table eating lamb stew while watching Paylor's coordination.

"I solemnly swear, to the best of my ability to preserve, protect, and uphold the rights of every citizen of Panem." She says after the judge. Plutarch is standing in the back, behind President Paylor.

"There's Plutarch." Peeta says.

"He became Paylor's second in command." Haymitch says.

"May I present," The judge on TV says. "The President of the new Panem, President Paylor." There is clapping in the background from all the Capitol citizens.

Soon afterwards, President Paylor announces The Hunger Games illegal, and no harm will come to the innocent and the guilty. She promises never to let any citizen be treated unfairly for crimes, but rather be disciplined in a humane way, unlike the way of President Snow.

After everyone leaves, I go to bed, only I can't fall asleep. Images keep popping into my head. Things that have happened to me and things that I don't know are real or not. Things the Capitol told me. I don't know whether or not they really happened. I see my home being bombed by the rebels, but that wasn't real, right? The rebels killed my family! They did!

So many things fill my mind that it is literally painful. I see myself in the Capitol again, being tortured for reasons that I don't know.

"AAAAAHHH!" I'm screaming in the corner of wherever I am. It feels as if I am in a cold, dark cell. Yes, this is where I was in the Capitol. Wait! Am I in the Capitol? Are they going to torture me again?

Suddenly there are arms around me, and someone distant screaming my name.

"Katniss! Not real! Not real!" The person screams.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" I scream. "DON'T HURT ME AGAIN! PLEASE!"

"NOT REAL! NOT REAL!" The person's voice is getting closer and closer, yet I can't quite make out who it is. "NOT REAL!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Suddenly, everything is back to normal. I am on the ground in my bedroom, curled in a ball and tears all over my face.

"Not real." Peeta tells me, but my eyes are closed so I can't see him. "Not real."

"Not real." I repeat. "Not real. Not real. Not real. No... no... NOOO!"

"Please come back to me... please." He begs.

"Not real... not real... not real..." My hands are covering my ears as I rock back and forth in a ball with my eyes closed. "Not real... not real... not real..."

"Yes, not real, not real." Peeta tells me soothingly with his arms wrapped around me tightly. "Not real."

My eyes finally open and I see Peeta's face. His eyes are closed as he wraps his arms around me, but I can see the worry all over his face.

"Your safe..." He tells me.

"I'm s-safe." I repeat. But truly, we will never be safe. We will always have scars from the wrath of President Snow, mentally and physically. We can never ensure our safety no matter how many times we tell ourselves "we're safe." Because really, there are still bad people out there and there will always be. Just because our world is safe now, there will always be another mountain that gets in our way. We will never be truly happy, nobody can, but if we tell ourselves that we are happy, that is something that we can ensure.

After everything I've seen in my lifetime, I know I want to live my life to the fullest, no matter what the Capitol did to me and the people I care about. The one thing they didn't take away from me was my fight to survive...


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Guys, I'm going to be honest with you, I'm disappointed in you. The last couple of chapters I wrote got 1 or 2 reviews each! And I have over 20 followers so I should be getting more reviews from you guys than 1 or 2 per chapter! I hope this doesn't keep up or else I won't be happy.**

 **HEADS UP: A BIT OF AN EVERLARK CHAPTER!**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games.**

 **Chapter 15**

"Katniss?" Peeta asks. After my little moment out of this world I find myself curled in a ball with tears all down my face. "Katniss, are you okay? What happened?"

"I- I- I was there. B- b- back in the Capitol." I sob. I know I'm not usually this emotional but the memories were so vivid- so real. I've never seen or remembered anything quite like that. It was like a memory I would get from my past, but it took place after my memory was taken away.

"What do you mean?" Peeta asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I s- s- saw it! It was so real!" I cry out in his arms. "I- I- It was in my cell! They were going to torture me again! Please DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME!"

"Ssh..." He soothes me. "It's okay, none of it was real. It was all in your head. It's okay... your safe." There is so much emotion in his voice. Calmness. Pain. Worry. I can hear it all, every last bit of emotion. Calmness to soothe me, pain from seeing me like this, and worry for what this may mean for the future.

"S- safe?" I say, unsure. I've never truly been safe.

"Yes." He replies. "Safe... always."

"What just happened?" I ask, frightened.

"I don't know." He says, honestly. "I think my doctor told me this might happen to either one of us. It's a flashback." I'm glad he went to that doctor, or else I would have not know what the hell just happened and I would be more frightened than ever. But Peeta's here now, so it's okay... everything will be okay.

"Peeta, do you have flashbacks?" I ask. "You don't have to answer, I was just wondering."

"No," he replies. "I'll tell you. I've gotten two flashbacks in the past three months."

"Did you have one while you were here in twelve?" I ask.

"Yeah." He answers, still holding on tightly to me, and the strange thing is... I allow it.

"You should have told me." I tell him. "I could've helped you, like you are to me."

"We weren't talking at the time." He reminds me. I can here how unsure he is while telling me this, and how sad he sounds while saying it. Guilt washes over my body. I could've helped him. He was always there for me in times of need and I never returned the favor. I've been a terrible girlfriend... I mean friend! Friend... We're just friends... right?

"I'm so sorry, Peeta." I tell him. "I wasn't there for you like I should have been. I wasn't being a good friend. I was just so wrapped up in my own problems that I didn't even think of what you were going through. I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." He tells me. "I wasn't there for you either, I ignored you for too long after that one night. I'm sorry. I know you were going through much more than me and you needed more help and I wasn't there."

"Peeta, I can't even imagine what you were going through. You lost your whole family because I shot that stupid arrow..." I open up to him more than I'd ever imagine I would.

"But that 'stupid arrow' got you out of the arena." He reminds me.

"But it also destroyed the whole district and almost killed all of 12." I say glumly. "I'm sorry I did that to you."

"You don't have to be sorry." He soothes. I snuggle deeper into his chest lovingly, knowing that I'm safe in his arms. I never want this night to end because I know when it does, we'll be going back to our normal lives, and possibly just ignoring each other again.

"I promise we'll help each other through this." He says as if reading my mind. "I'll never abandon you again. We can get through this together."

"Promise?" I ask, unsure.

"Promise." He tells me.

"Thank you." I snuggle even deeper into his chest lovingly.

"Come on." He lifts me up. "You need to go to bed." He leads me to my bed and lays me down. "Goodnight." He starts to leave, when I grab his wrist.

"Please!" I beg. "Stay with me." He nods his head in response and gets under the covers, wrapping his arms around me as I do the same.

"Always."

"Thank you." I say once again as I snuggle into his chest. I've never felt more safe than I do right now. I don't know what this means for us. Sleeping in the same bed? Friends definitely don't sleep together, but he's keeping my nightmares away and I'm keeping his away.

"Peeta," I say. "I don't know if I asked you this before, but why don't I hear you when you have nightmares?"

"I guess I just come to with fear, frozen and paralyzed to my spot. I don't scream and thrash like you." He tells me.

"You should wake me."

"That's not necessary, my nightmares are usually about losing you, I'm okay once I realize your here."

"You should still wake me, we agreed to help each other, right?"

"Yeah." He says. "We'll see." He smiles.

We both fall asleep soon, but I am awakened by a shaking on my shoulder.

"Katniss... you told me to wake you if I had a nightmare." He whispers.

"I did say that, didn't I?" I look over at the clock and find that it is four in the morning. "What was your nightmare about?"

"We were back in the arena," he begins. "And, Cato, h-he grabbed a hold of you and pulled you down with the mutts! A-and you were d-" He can't even finish his sentence as his eyes fill with tears, but he resists the urge to let them fall.

"Ssh..." I soothe. "It's okay, I'm here, we're all safe. We're safe."

"Katniss?"

"Yes?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Will you sing for me?" He says quietly, as if I would say no.

"Of course..."

" _Deep in the meadow,_

 _Under the willow,_

 _A bed of grass, a soft green pillow._

 _Lay down your head,_

 _And close your eyes,_

 _And when they open, the sun will rise._

 _Here it's safe, here it's warm._

 _Here the daisies guard, you from every harm._

 _Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true,_

 _Here is the place where I love you..."_

I finish singing and he stares at me in awe.

"That was beautiful." He whispers. "Thank you, it helped a lot."

"Anytime." I smile. "You ready to go back to sleep?"

He nods his head and we snuggle back into each other.

Right before I fall asleep, I whisper, "I love you." Only thing is, he doesn't hear me, because he's already asleep and I don't know when I'll be bale to tell him again.

 **A/N: I was going to end the chapter here, but I decided to make this an extra long chapter, so I'll keep going! I'll plan on making most chapters longer than usual!**

The next morning I wake up in Peeta's arms, as we were when we fell asleep. Peeta is still soundly asleep, so I stare at him until his eyes open and find mine staring into his.

"Morning." He greets me.

"Morning." I say back. "How did you sleep?"

"Amazing, thanks to you."

"Diddo." I say, my feelings being mutual to his. "You wanna go eat breakfast?"

"Okay." He says as we both start getting up. I look over to the clock and realize it's noon. We slept in longer than I thought we did. I don't remember if I used to get up early or late before the rebellion started, I really only remember moments or things that have really impacted my life, nothing as small as how early I woke up or the people in my life that I've only met once before. Those things I can never remember.

I am sitting at the dining room table when Peeta brings me my breakfast, eggs and bacon.

"Thank you, Peeta." I thank him.

"Your welcome." He smiles back. "What are you going to do today?"

"Hmm... probably just going to take a walk later, care to join me?"

"I'd love to." He smiles, I give him a smile back to show my gratitude.

After we finish our breakfast, we check on Haymitch to make sure he's still alive. When we do, we find him drunk, but alive, so we decide to take our walk.

We walk into what used to be town and look at all the destroyed buildings and ash. It's devastating and brings back so many memories.

"Peeta, can we get out of here?" I ask, barely looking him in the eye.

"Of course." I hold tightly onto his hand to try and fight off the flashbacks that are beckoning to come, but I won't allow it, not right now.

"Hello!" We hear someone yell. We know this isn't Haymitch or Greasy Sae, but it was a man's voice. Who could it be? I thought we were the only one's here?

We turn around and find a friendly looking man, who looks to be in his mid 50's.

"Hello," he says again. "President Paylor sent some other men and I to help rebuild the district. We'll be here for a couple months, but we won't bother you. Some more men are coming in on the next train to help too. You two are welcome to help if you'd like." He smiles the whole time, as both mine and Peeta's mouth are hanging open.

"Your really going to rebuild the district?" I ask, happier than ever.

"Yes, we'll be starting on the houses, because we have some people already heading down here who want to live here. The rest of the district will be here after we finish rebuilding most of the town and houses." He says.

"Oh my God!" I can't even believe this, they are actually rebuilding our home.

"Thank you so much!" Peeta says. "You don't know how much this means to us. And let us know if you need help, we'll be happy to do anything to contribute."

"Well, we'd love your help!" He says, ecstatically. "The more the merrier, right?"

"Thank you!" I say. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem." He says. "I never really lived in this district, but I know how much this place meant to a lot of people, so I wanted to help rebuild it and make it my home along with all the other people who have already lived here or are just moving in."

"That's so sweet." I say. "Well, we should be going, but make sure you tell all the others helping out that we appreciate it very much. Goodbye."

"Bye." He says and Peeta waves a polite 'goodbye'.

"I can't believe it." I tell Peeta, once we are all alone, walking back to the Victors' Village. "It's so exciting that District 12 will be back to normal again."

"I know, I can't wait to start helping out." Peeta says, happily. We make it back to the Victors' Village and Peeta goes into his house, while I go to my own. As soon as I enter the door, I hear the phone ringing and I quickly pick it up, even though I have been ignoring it for the past three months.

"Hello?" I say into the receiver.

"Hello," A kind, male voice says. "Is this Ms. Katniss Everdeen?"

"Yes, this is her." I answer.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Aurelius. I was Peeta's doctor while he was in the Capitol, recovering from his trauma of the war and such. Although, I wanted to meet with you and help you with your trauma from the Hunger Games and the war." He tells me. "Do you think you could come to the Capitol?"

"Um... the Capitol?.." I stutter. "I... don't think I really want to leave District 12. I mean, they're just starting to rebuild it and everything and I really want to be there for that."

"Well, that's okay." He says. "I can send some doctors down to District 12 for your therapy, if that's okay, and you and I can make weekly calls to check in on each other, is that okay?"

"Yeah, that should be fine." I say. "When will I start?"

"I can't get doctor's down there until the district is fully rebuilt, but until then, we can make daily calls. Once the doctors get there, then we will do weekly calls." He says. "We can start the daily calls in two days, okay?"

"Sounds good." I answer.

"Well, I'll let you go now. Have a nice day."

"Bye." I hang up the phone and then I realize how hungry I am. I haven't eaten since breakfast and right now it's about time for dinner. I'll go over to Peeta's house and see if he wants to eat with me.

I quickly leave the house and knock on his door. He answers in a matter of seconds.

"Katniss, what are you doing here?" He asks, sweetly.

"A 'hello' would have been nice." I say with a smile plastered on my face.

"Oh, sorry. Let me start again." He smiles. "Hello, Katniss, what brings you here?" He says this in a funny voice which makes me laugh.

"I just came to see if you wanted to have dinner with me." I say.

"Yeah, I'd love to. Come on in." He invites me. "What would you like to eat?"

"I don't know. What did I used to like?" This is one of the small things from the past that I don't remember. It's just one of those things that I don't have memories about.

"Lamb stew was your favorite." He says, but I can hear a hint of sadness in his voice.

"What's wrong, Peeta?" I ask, sincerely.

"Nothing." He says, trying to hide the fact that there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I know your lying." I say. "You promised we'd help each other and I can't help you if you don't tell me whats wrong. Was it something I did?"

"No, really it's nothing."

"Peeta Mellark tell me what your upset about." I say.

He sighs loudly before speaking. "It's just... what the Capitol did to you, you know? You barely remember anything that's happened in your life. You don't remember your favorite food, what you wore, how you ever felt. It's just upsetting." I didn't know it was upsetting him that I had lost all my memory. I mean, of course he'll be upset, but is he upset with me? Is that what he means?

"I didn't realize I was upsetting you so much." I say, looking down.

"No, that's not what I meant. I-"

"I need to go... I've got, um... things to do." I quickly leave the house before he can say another word. Why can't we just be happy? I just made a huge deal out of nothing and because of that I may have lost him for good this time! Why am I so stupid?! Haymitch was right... _I could live a hundred years and not deserve that boy._

Hopefully Delly will be among the few people coming back to the district so Peeta will have somebody to care about him... I know I can never care for him as much as I want to because whenever I do... this happens. The thing that is happening right now, me leaving. It's not fair to him and because of that I know he deserves much better than what I have to offer.

 **A/N: Did I portray Katniss good in this chapter? Stubborn and hard to deal with? I think I did a good job.**

 **I hope I get more reviews than the last couple of chapters, or I'll be mad! Because I know there are more than one person reading this story so why does it seem like only that one person is reading? It's like there's a bunch of people in a big conversation and only one person there is talking! It hurts the persons feelings that no one wants to talk to them, and that's what you guys are doing to me... Sorry, but it's true.**

 **SO REVIEW!**

 **I'm not writing this story without any effort at ALL! I put lots of thought and hard work into my writing and I don't appreciate it when you guys do this, because I have 25 followers and only one of them is reviewing! What's the deal with that?**

 **If you guys don't like my story then I'll be happy to end it, if that's what you want.**

 **Just think about it...**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Sorry for being so harsh in the last chapter about the reviews, but thanks for all the new reviews, you guys are still as awesome as always!**

 **EVERLARK WARNING! (NO SEX OR ANYTHING, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE KISSING!)**

 **Also wanted to say that a lot of people were like "Please don't end the story!" let me just clear something up. I didn't say I was going to end the story, I was just rambling about reviews.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer!**

 **Chapter 16**

I lie in my bed, awake all night. It's now midnight and I can't take it anymore! I need Peeta! I need his loving arms, his amazing smile, his shining blue eyes. But most of all, I need him as a whole. Not just for his arms or smile or eyes, but for him as himself. His kindness, his funniness, his ability to keep my nightmares away.

I wish I didn't walk out on him. I wish I wasn't so selfish and self-centered. I wish he was here, with me, keeping my nightmares away. Even as I lie awake, I still am having nightmares, or more like thoughts that won't go away. I'm seeing Peeta sometimes, but he isn't himself, more like a mutt that wants me dead. I see Prim and Rue. I see my mother. I see President Snow. Children dying in the Hunger Games, in gruesome ways. They leave their starving families crying. District 12 becoming history. My loved ones being dead or refugees. It never ends.

I know I have to apologize to Peeta as soon as possible, but it's not going to be easy. How do I know he'll even take me back? I was being such an idiot LIKE ALWAYS! I'm going to apologize right now, I don't care if it is midnight and he is probably sleeping, I need to do this!

Once I get to his door I slowly knock, I do it very quietly at first, thinking he won't hear me. But he does and soon he is right in front of me. He must have been awake, considering he got here so quickly and since I knocked so quietly, he must have been close by anyways.

"Hey." He says once the door is fully open.

"Hi." I reply. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah." He lets me into his living room and I take a seat on his couch. "What's up?"

"I wanted to... talk to you... about what happened earlier." I stutter. Darn! I really wish I was as good with words as Peeta! This would be so much easier if that was the case.

"I'm really sorry about that." He says before I can say anything else. "I didn't mean what I said I was just-" I cut off his rambling.

"Peeta! You have nothing to be sorry for, it was my fault, I was being... stupid." I say. "I don't know, I was just being so terrible to you and I feel really bad about it. Especially after you helped me and everything..." Tears are now seeping out of my eyes, but I don't look at Peeta, instead I look straight down. "I thought I was doing fine on my own, I guess... I didn't think I needed anybody as badly as I need you." Now I am full on sobbing. I feel Peeta's hand lift my chin up so that I am looking him in the eye.

"It's okay." He tells me sweetly. "I haven't been there for you as much as I should and I'm sorry for that. But all that's in the past now, it's okay."

"Are you sure? Can we really be okay?" I ask.

"Of course... I know these times are hard, but we can make it through this... together." He sounds so sweet and quiet while telling me this that I can't help it when I crash my lips into his and stay like that, letting it linger.

"Peeta?" I say between kisses. "Will you..." I stop for a moment to sink deeper into the kiss. "Stay with me?"

"Always." He says, as we are both go deeper and deeper into the kiss, not wanting to let go... not even leaving each others lips for a single breath. He suddenly breaks free from the kiss and I really wish he hadn't, until I realize what he is about to ask me. "Katniss?" He stares into my eyes with seriousness written all over his face, but there is also love in his eyes. "Do you love me?"

I don't even hesitate when I tell him, "yes." He smiles at the answer I've given him, and then I ask him the same thing. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." He says. "More than you'll ever know."

"I love you... and I need you... more than _you'll_ ever know." I stare him in the eye with both fierceness and love. "Always."

"Always." He repeats. We once again crash our lips together and get caught in a kiss. This kiss in unlike any other. Unlike the one in the cave. Unlike the many ones during our interviews. Unlike the one on the beach. This one is really real. The one in the cave was for cameras. The ones during the interviews was also for the cameras. The one on the beach was partially real, but not fully. But this one is fully real. More real than you could ever get. This one is not for the cameras, it's not just to make the other person feel better. It's because we love each other and we always will.

"You ready for bed?" He asks. And by 'bed' he doesn't mean 'go to sleep and have an endless array of nightmares' he means 'go to bed in each others arms for a night free of nightmares'.

"I'd love to." I say, smiling.

"Which house?" He asks, indicating whether we should sleep at my house or his.

"Yours." I say as we both get up from our spot on the couch and make our way up to his bedroom. When we get into his bed, we immediately wrap in each others arms, not wanting to let go. "Peeta."

"Yes?"

"You know, it's okay to kiss me whenever you'd like." I say. "We are in love after all." He doesn't even respond, he just sinks his lips into mine.

"Same goes to you." He says when we break apart. "Just... kiss me whenever you feel like it."

"I love you..." I whisper and fall into a deep slumber full of wonderful dreams.

" _Mommy!" I hear a little girl yell. We are all in the meadow. 'We' being Peeta, our daughter who is about five years old, our son who is an infant, and I. "Mommy, look what I found." She holds out a primrose in her hand._

" _That's beautiful, Willow." I say to my daughter. "Where did you find it?"_

" _I found it out by the edge of the forest." She says happily. "Can I plant it when I get home, I want it for Auntie Prim!"_

" _That's a great idea!" I say, she beams at me._

" _Do you want to eat lunch now, Willow?" Peeta asks._

" _Yes, daddy!" She says. "The quicker I eat lunch the faster I get dessert!"_

" _Don't rush on eating, honey." I tell her. "You don't want to get sick."_

" _Okay, mommy." Willow is an obedient child, but has a wild spirit. She'll never disobey Peeta nor I but she would go out into the forest alone if she had the chance. She loves the outdoors almost as much as she loves us. "I love you, mommy and daddy!"_

" _We love you too." Peeta says. The infant boy starts crying._

" _Oh... ssh... mommy's here, Rye. It's okay." I soothe him. "Did you have a nightmare? Mommy gets nightmares too. One day I'll explain it to you." I whisper to him. "Why they came, why they'll never go away. But I'll tell you how I survive it... I make a list in my head of all the good things I've seen someone do, every little thing I can think of. It's like a game, I play it over and over. It gets a little tedious after all these years, but... there are much worse games to play."_

I wake up and find that my dream was no reality. Peeta is above me, staring at me with a smile on his face.

"Good morning." I greet him. He keeps smiling at me and doesn't say anything. "What?"

"You were smiling in your sleep." He tells me. "You must have been having a good dream."

"I did." I say, but I don't tell him what it was about. I don't want him getting the wrong idea, thinking that I'll ever bring children into this world. It scares me just thinking about it.

We hear a knock at the door and Peeta gets up to answer it and I go along with him. We open the door and find the man who confronted us the other day while we were taking a walk.

"Hello!" The man says.

"Hi." Peeta and I say in unison.

"I'm so sorry, I never told you my name. My name is Matthew." He says. "I just came here to let you know that there will be a train coming today with some of the people who will be living here."

"Oh, that's great!" I say. "Thank you for telling us!"

"No problem. They'll be arriving here anytime now, so if you wanted to greet them, I suggest getting down to the train station now." He says.

"Thank you." Peeta says.

"Well, me and the men are started the rebuilding process today, so I'd better get going. It was nice seeing you folks."

"Bye!" We both say as he leaves back into town.

"I'm gonna go get ready." I tell Peeta. "I'll be back here in around 20 minutes and we can start heading to the train station." I tell him.

"Sounds good." He tells me. I kiss him and head back to my house so I can start getting ready.

When I get into my room, I quickly throw on a dark green t-shirt and skinny jeans. It's a simple outfit, but I think I look pretty good.

I then brush my teeth, take a shower, and put my damp hair into a braid. I then run over to Peeta's house and find that he's made me and him cheese buns and that he is already ready to go.

"I made some cheese buns for us to eat on the way there." He tells me.

"Aww... how sweet." I say, in a playfully sarcastic voice.

"You look nice." He observes.

"Thank you, and you don't look half bad yourself." I giggle. He smiles at me and I smile back, but when I see the beautiful radiance in his eyes, I'm frozen and my smile fades as I get lost in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asks, his smile fading as well.

"Your eyes they're... amazing." I continue staring deeply into his eyes and only break eye contact when I lean in and kiss him. We get lost in the kiss but we soon pull apart when we realize we have to breathe.

"We should get going." He tells me, handing me a cheese bun.

I nod. "Okay. But can I tell you something real quick?"

"Of course."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He smiles at me again and my heart sinks to the ground at how amazing he looks.

"Ready to go?" I smile. He nods in response. We start walking to the train station, hand in hand. I've never been so in love with anybody... and I love the feeling. It's like being on a roller coaster that spins round and round and never stops. But eventually, the roller coaster stops spinning and the love is gone... but will that happen to us? No, it can't, right?

Peeta stops walking, bringing me out of my thoughts, when I realize we are at the train station. We wait there for about ten minutes when the train of people arrive. We have no idea who is going to be getting off this train, so we are even more excited to find out.

Many people come off the train, most of them I don't remember, but they look familiar, but even if I tried I wouldn't be able to remember any of them.

"PEETA!" A woman yells among the many people. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, just like Peeta. She looks so familiar, but I don't know who she is. "PEETA!" She yells again.

"Delly!" He yells back, as she comes in front of us. "It's so good to see you." Peeta says. WHO IS THIS GIRL?

"Oh my God! It's so good to see you too!" She says.

"Who is this?" I ask, sweetly, trying my hardest to hide my jealousy.

"Oh, Katniss, this is Delly Cartwright." Peeta tells me.

"Katniss, you know who I am! We've known each other since we were kids!" She laughs. Yes, I've heard of her and I've heard her name, but I never knew what Delly looked like, well, I didn't remember. When I first saw her running up to Peeta I knew she was familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on it. All I really know about her is that she and Peeta were best friends. Why wouldn't he want to be with someone who he's known his whole life, when I can barely even remember anything that's happened in my life?

"Delly, I'll talk to you about that later." Peeta tells her.

"About what?" She asks.

"Why Katniss doesn't remember you." He whispers, but I can still hear him.

"Oh, okay!" She says. "So how have you two been?" She asks.

"We've been good." Peeta answers for both of us. "Just adjusting to our new life style."

"Yeah, I've been staying in District 13 until we got the 'okay' to move back here." She smiles. "And might I say, you look very nice, Peeta." She's flirting with him! Right in front of me?!

"Oh... um... thank you." He replies.

"So, I was planning on staying with Madge, who is going to be here on the next train, but I thought it'd be nice if I moved in with you." Oh no she didn't!

"Uh, sorry, Delly I don't think that's such a good idea." Peeta says.

"Why not?" She pouts.

"Because... because... I'm, uh... living with Katniss!" He says. What?! Since when did I move in with- oh, wait I see what he's doing.

"Oh... um... well, um, good for you guys." She tries to sound happy for us, but I can tell she is upset about the situation. "You know what," she says after a moment. "I don't really care, because I love Peeta! I love way more than you ever could." She looks at me in disgust.

"Excuse me?" I snap.

"You heard me!" She says viciously. "I've known Peeta way longer than you even bothered with him. We're meant for each other." She then directs her attention to Peeta. "You know you love me, your only with her because-"

"STOP!" Peeta cuts her off harshly. "Please, I've had enough of your nonsense."

"Yeah, Katniss, stop it!" Delly says to me.

"I wasn't talking to her, Delly!" Peeta says. "I was talking to you!" I'm so tired of standing here and just listening to Peeta defend me against a girl that he's been friends with his whole life. I decide to just turn around and leave, because I obviously am not wanted here.

"See?" I hear Delly say as I'm leaving. "She doesn't even love you! She's leaving the first chance she gets!" Of course I love Peeta! Why wouldn't I? Whatever!

"Katniss!" I hear Peeta yell. "Katniss, wait up!" Soon he's right next to me. "Are you mad at me?" He sounds so sad and unsure when he says this.

"Of course not." I say, still walking in the direction of our house. "I'm mad at _her_."

"I'm so sorry." He says. "I should've stood up for you more than I did."

"Peeta," I stop in my tracks and look him dead in the eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong." He is about to speak again when I crash my lips into his. "I love you." I say when we part.

"I love you too." He says back.

"Always?"

"Always." He confirms. "As long as I live and longer if I can."

I smile at him and we continue going home.

"So..." I say. "Who's house will it be tonight?"

"How about _our_ house." He says.

"Our house?" I ask curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought since you sleep over at my house all the time, that you should just move in. I know it's a big move, and you don't have to if you don't want to, I was just-"

"Peeta," I cut him off. "I'd love to live with you."

"Really?" His eyes light up brighter than the sun in the sky.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." I tell him. We make it to _our_ house and eat lunch.

"Katniss," Peeta says after we eat our lunch. "Do you want us to move your stuff into my house right now?" He asks.

"Yeah, I don't need to bring a lot of things over anyways. Just my clothes and things." I say.

"Okay, let's go." We go over to my house and pick up the essentials, such as, clothes and bathroom essentials, along with other things. We then quickly bring it over to our house and get it all settled in. By the time we're done it's time for dinner, so we eat food and then get ready for bed.

"Goodnight, Peeta." I say when we are both in bed.

"Goodnight." He yawns and we both fall asleep. This particular night, I have many dreams.

 **(You don't have to read Katniss' dreams, it's just things from the movie or book and things that have happened in this fanfic... but I suggest reading them, because it's kinda like a memo!)**

" _You see, Katniss, how the whole friends thing works is that you have to tell each other the deep stuff." Peeta tells me. We are both on a train, most likely doing interviews or something._

" _The deep stuff?" I ask, unsure. "Like what?"_

" _Well... what's your favorite color?" He asks. I stare at him for a minute before answering._

" _Green." I say. "What's yours?"_

" _Orange." He smiles._

" _Orange? Like Effie's hair?" I ask, he laughs a quiet, breathy sort of laugh._

" _No, more like the sunset."_

… _..._

 _Peeta and I are in District 13 and I had just woken up from being shot in District 2. We are both in a hospital room, and Peeta talks to me, thinking I am still asleep._

" _Katniss," he says. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could've done something, but there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry."_

" _It's okay." I tell him._

" _Katniss! Your awake." He exclaims and jumps up to hug me._

" _Peeta! It's so good to see you. I missed you so much." I nearly shout._

" _I missed you too. I can't believe that happened to you. When I was watching, I nearly killed Coin for sending you out there. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."_

" _Peeta, it's not your fault. Don't you ever think it was your fault, I know you tried to get Coin to let you come, but there was nothing you could do to change her mind. That's something we have to live with, we can't change Coin's mind once a decision is final. Now, I will say this one last time, it is not your fault."_

" _It may not be my fault, but from now on, you are not leaving my sight. I will do whatever I can to protect you, because I love you."_

… _..._

 _Peeta and I are called to Command later in the day, we're not sure why but it probably has to do with the rebellion. We walk down to Command, hand in hand._

" _Soldier Everdeen, Soldier Mellark," Coin greets us when we walk in. "How nice of you to join us, please take a seat." We sit next to Haymitch and Finnick, who are also in the room. "Now," Coin says. "Let's get down to business. President Snow has agreed to surrender."_

 _There are gasps around the room and questions being thrown everywhere, but Coin silences everyone._

" _On one condition, we hand over our Mockingjay."_

…

" _Ms. Everdeen, it's the things we love the most, that destroy us." President Snow's voice rings in the back of my head, echoing his deadly words of venom._

… _._

 _Let the 75th Hunger Games BEGIN!" The speakers screamed. Everything was in slow motion after that. I see people slowly dying... slowly being killed. Until only eight remain... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... Me, Peeta and Cato must fight to the death on the top of the cornucopia, with mutts just below us, threatening our very lives... 2... Peeta and I remain,and cheer over our victory, but soon discovery the rules weren't changed after all... 1... Peeta is in the Capitol, I am all alone... 2 again... back to 1..._

… _._

Many dreams fill my brain, all things I know are true but have never had memories of. I realize what is going on... all these memories I'm having right now, is everything that I have forgotten and had never had a memory of before now. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING!

"PEETA!" I shoot awake.

"What's wrong?" He asks, worried.

"I remember... I remember everything!"


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I'm back y'all!**

 **OMG! You guys have left me over 20 reviews in only a matter of days! That's amazing! Thank you SO much!**

 **Warning: There may be some scenes that may be a bit inappropriate for some people in this chapter! If you are not interested in reading anything inappropriate I suggest you skip most of this chapter! Otherwise, read on! I rate this chapter as M for mature... you've been warned.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THIS STUFF, no matter how epic the series is, I can't take credit for Suzanne Collins works. Sorry...**

 **Chapter 17!**

 _Previously on 'The Boy with the Bread'_

" _PEETA!" I shoot awake._

" _What's wrong?" He asks, worried._

" _I remember... I remember everything!"_

"What?" He asks, obviously confused.

"Everything! Everything's come back to me!"

"You remember?!" He nearly screams.

"YES!" I yell excitedly.

"Oh my God! This is amazing!" He gasps. "I can't believe it! I'm so happy!"

"Everything..." I whisper. "Is back." I can't believe this is happening! I always thought that there would just be this hole in my life forever, but now, I know who I am, my characteristics, EVERYTHING!

Peeta pulls me into his lap and hugs me and I squeeze into his body, not wanting to let go. I remember the love was fake at first, but now I know that it wasn't completely fake to begin with and that I slowly started loving him more and more.

"I love you." I tell him.

"I love you too."

…...

The next morning we wake up and get dressed quickly to see what we will be able to help with in town. We are both so excited for the District to be fully rebuilt, but we know it will take time so we have to be patient.

As we walk to town, hand in hand, we both talk about what we may want to do in the future. We know we've been through some rough patches lately but this is something we are going to have to talk about sooner or later, and it's not like we're planning to get marries right away or anything, it's just something we both felt like talking about at the moment.

Once we're in town, we see the men have already started working on the new houses. One of the men asks Peeta to help with lifting heavy things, like wood and metal pipes, while I am asked to hunt for some animals and gather berries for everyone to eat at lunch. I kiss Peeta goodbye and make my way to the woods where there are also other people hunting and women gathering berries. I grab my bow and arrows and immediately start shooting any animal I see. Although there are only squirrels at first, I eventually start seeing bigger animals like rabbits and other things.

 **(This next scene may not be appropriate for some people. I, honestly, don't think it's that bad because nothing happens (Like sex or anything) but I still suggest you skip it if you have a sensitive mind... otherwise, keep reading.)**

One of the men, hunting like I am, starts whistling at me, and yelling things to me like "Hey, hotty!" It is honestly so annoying and perverted that I start yelling at him.

"STOP IT YOU PERV!" I scream at him.

"Now don't be like that cutie." He says back.

"Back off." I say as he starts getting closer to me. "I'll go get my boyfriend if you want, and he'll beat you to a pulp if you come within ten feet of me again."

"Ooh, feisty. I like that." He says in a low and rather rude voice.

"I swear, I'll beat you myself if I have to!" I say. He starts putting his hands around my waist and trying to touch me in other ways that I dear not explain. "GET OFF OF ME! CREEP!" I push him to the ground.

"Come on, darling, I know you wanna dance with me!" When he says 'dance' he's referring to getting in bed with him and doing things I would never do to anybody but Peeta.

"Stop it! I have a boyfriend!" I yell at him.

"I don't mind." He laughs. I need to get away from this guy before he does anything too bad, not that he already has. So I quickly run in the opposite direction to best escape him. I hear him yelling things to me like, "get over here, darling, I'm not finished." But I ignore it and keep running until I've made it to the rest of the woman who are picking berries. I'll join them, so hopefully he won't want to do anything to me in this group of woman.

 **(Okay, it's over! If you skipped it, basically a guy was trying to hook up with Katniss, but if you read it, you know it went a bit into detail.)**

UGH! Men can be so annoying! I can't believe what just happened! I know I have to tell Peeta about it, but how will he react? Will he be mad at me? Probably not, right? It wasn't my fault I'm so good at hunting that it attracts guys!

I decide I've had enough time in the woods and I just want to leave, so I quickly go back to town before that guy sees me alone. Who knows what would happen then?

Once back in town, I see Peeta carrying some metal pipes to some men, while Delly is walking with him. I can see she is talking with him a lot by the way her mouth is moving.

I get just close enough to hear what is going on, but also not to be seen, so I know exactly what she is talking about.

"Wow, Peeta!" Delly says in awe. "You're so strong! You know, I was hoping you'd like to go on a walk with me later, just the two of us." God, can she be any more... what's the word? RUDE! She knows Peeta and I have something going on.

"No, I'm hanging out with Katniss this afternoon." Peeta replies coolly. Good boy, I think to myself.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll understand." She says flirtatiously. "I bet she's abandoned you a million times before, how's it any different if you do it to her?" Oh come on! Is she really doing this? Are you kidding me? Tell me this is a joke!

"That's not true, Delly." Peeta says, a bit more cold than before. By this time, he has set down the metal pipe and they are now just standing there talking.

"Can't we just try?" She begs, more than just asking. "I'm sure if you just try it then you'll leave her in a heartbeat. She's just a dirty old seam brat!"

"What did you just call her?" Peeta asks through gritted teeth. I decide to walk up to them now, because I need to talk to Peeta about what happened in the woods, because the guilt is eating me alive!

"Peeta!" I yell. I run towards him and make it by his side. "Can I talk to you? Please?" I can tell he senses the longing and worry in my eyes and reflects off of his.

"Yeah, of course." He takes me home, and the whole time I can see worry in his eyes. "What is it?" He asks once we are both sitting on the couch.

That's when I break out into sobs as I slowly recall my whole day through my head.

"There was this man in the woods..." I sob. "H-he tried to- to... do something!" Looking back I don't know if he was trying to get me in bed with him or hurt me. "I didn't know what he was doing and then h-he tried to touch me."

"What did you do?" I can sense in his eyes that he thinks I did something with him.

"I screamed at him and ran away. But he was scaring me so much!" The tears don't stop coming as I tell him the rest of the story, when I finish, I ask the one thing that has been plaguing my mind ever since that incident. "Do you hate me now?"

"Of course not!" He says surprised. "I could never hate you. You did the right thing, running away when he tried to touch you. I'm just so sorry that happened to you, it sounds terrible."

"It was." I sob. "Will you please forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive." He tells me. "I feel like I should be the one asking for forgiveness, because I wasn't there."

"No, Peeta, please don't be sorry. No of this happened because of you. I should've run away right when he started hitting on me, but I didn't, I don't know why, but I just felt the need to yell at him instead."

"That sounds like you." We both laugh. When I look outside, I realize it is dark out there.

"We should go to bed." I say. Peeta nods in agreement as we both head upstairs. When we are both in bed, neither of us sleep.

"Peeta, I can't sleep." I tell him.

"Me neither." He agrees. "What do you want to do?" He knows neither of us will be sleeping anytime soon, so we might as well do something else.

"Do you want to?.." I start asking.

"Are you sure?" He already knows what I was about to say.

"Yes..."

That night I gave myself to The Boy with the Bread...

 **A/N: I know this chapter was a bit inappropriate, but hey, isn't everybody writing about this now a days?**

 **Also, at the end, I didn't want to show the sex scene, I was too scared to and I don't want to be actually writing about that stuff...**

 **Honestly, I didn't like how this chapter turned out... it was just the scene in the woods that really got me, but you didn't have to read that part, I gave y'all fair warnings. I even warned myself... well, mentally warned myself.**

 **HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED! HAVE A GREAT DAY AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**

 **BYE!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I literally just wrote the whole chapter out and then I'm like "I don't like it!" So I deleted the whole chapter and am now starting over! What the HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!**

 **Well, here's the NEW chapter!**

 **ENJOY!**

 **And don't forget to review!**

 **Disclaimer: I ain't ownin' this stuff! Belongs to our homie, Suzanne Collins! Thank her for this! :D**

 **(New) Chapter 18 (A few months later- maybe about 5 months)**

As they finish rebuilding District 12, Peeta and I get happier and more settled in. The final touches are added to District 12, like the bakery and some other shops, along with more houses. More and more people move into 12, but not so much that it is overpopulated. Life keeps getting better, although Peeta and I have flashbacks once in a while, we make it through them together.

Tonight, Peeta has planned a special dinner for us and I am honestly super excited. We've spent a lot of time helping to rebuild the district, so we didn't get as much alone time as we would have liked, so this dinner is celebration of the district being rebuilt and some alone time for both of us.

My therapists have also come to the district, so I have therapy every couple of times a week and Peeta sits in too, even though he's had his therapy already.

Peeta has set up our dinner in a spot that is unknown to me, so that just adds to the excitement of tonight.

I start getting ready for mine and Peeta's date at around five o'clock in the afternoon. I do my hair in a bun, with little strands coming down the sides and I put on red lipstick, pink blush, mascara and eye liner. I also put on a green dress with black flats. I think I look pretty good, I just hope Peeta likes it.

As I walk downstairs I get a glimpse of Peeta's outfit. He is wearing a black suit, white button-up shirt, and a blue tie.

"You look handsome." I say, causing him to jump up, because he hadn't seen me yet.

"Katniss, you look..." He stares at me in awe. "amazing." He's smiling at me so big.

"Thank you." He then takes my hand.

"Ready to go?" He asks. I nod my head as he leads me out the door. I think we are about to head to town, when Peeta takes the opposite way, heading towards the woods.

"Peeta, where are we going?" I ask.

"You'll see." He smiles down at me. We head into the woods and we follow a trail of rose petals and candles into... the meadow! There are fairy lights strung up on the trees and lanterns around a red blanket with food baskets and drink holders. To top off all this beauty, Peeta has placed the same rose petals that lead us here, all around the blanket.

"Peeta..." I whisper.

"Do you like it?" He asks. Love it? I'm absolutely speechless.

"You- you did all this... for me?"

"I'd do anything for you."

"I love it, Peeta!" I say in more of a whisper. "Thank you." He then takes my hand again and leads me to the blanket.

"Here, these are the appetizers." He hands me a plate of cheese buns. I giggle quietly.

"Thank you." I giggle as we both start eating a few cheese buns, but are conscious of saving room for the actual meal. When we've eaten enough cheese buns, Peeta pulls out the champagne and lamb stew. "What makes tonight so special?" I ask, because we don't usually drink champagne unless something really special is happening.

"I just wanted to make tonight extra special." He says. "I know we haven't had a lot of time alone in the past couple of months, so tonight needed to be more than just a casual dinner between two couples." I smile when he refers us as a 'couple.' But I feel like there's more to it than that.

"Hmm... this lamb stew is amazing." I say when I take my first spoonful of soup. "This is definitely the best lamb stew I've ever had."

"Thank you." He laughs.

"What's so funny?" I ask, laughing a little with him.

"You're just so cute." He says

"No I'm not." I blush.

"Yes, you are." He says. "You're perfect."

"Same goes to you." I giggle. I elan in to kiss him and soon our lips are locked, passionately kissing one another, not thinking about anything but this perfect kiss on this perfect night.

"Katniss? Do you love me?" He asks.

"Yes." I answer. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." We've been saying those lines for a couple months now, it's the alternative of 'I love you.' It's our special thing.

I stare deeply into those bright blue eyes of his. How they brilliantly shine in the moonlight. I take one look into his eyes and I know, even after all we've been through, the games, the war, the Capitol's wrath, I know that everything will be okay. We've gone through a real life nightmare and survived, despite the Capitol's plans. We've made it through thick and thin, rough and smooth, dark and light. We've survived it all... together.

We then finish our dinner in silence. We're saying everything we need, without saying a word at all. Our eyes do the talking for us, along with our lips when we kiss and our arms as we hold one another. Everything that happens is warm. Every kiss, every hug is the warmest of all the times we've shared together. It's so warm, so perfect.

"Do you want dessert now?" Peeta asks when we are both finished with our soup, but only half way done with our wine.

"Yeah." He then pulls out two chocolate cupcakes. They both have half a heart on the edge of each one, so we can put them together and it will make a full heart. It was a cute idea, obviously made by Peeta.

"These are adorable, Peeta." I say.

"Really? You like them?" He asks, surprised.

"Yes!" I say.

"I thought you would think they were childish."

"Of course not." I say, a slight smile on my face. "They're amazing! I love them... and I love you."

"I love you too." He says. "Which is why I wanted to ask you something." He then gets down on one knee and pulls out a black, velvet box.

"Will you marry me?" He asks. By this time, tears are in my eyes as both my hands are covering my mouth, preventing me from screaming. A huge smile is also plastered across my face.

I nod quickly. "Yes!" I say. "Yes, I will marry you!"

"You will?" He asks.

"Yes!" I assure him.

"Can I put it on you?" He asks, I nod my head. He puts the ring on my finger, which I now see clearly. It has a big diamond, but not too big, in the middle and the band around the diamond is a beautiful silver color.

"I love you so much!" I start crying a little bit more.

"Please don't cry." He begs.

"I'm crying because I'm happy." I smile. "I love you SO much!"

"I love you too!" He wraps me in a big hug and then we are kissing passionately and fiercely. This kiss has force and longing in it. That is why this is the perfect kiss, in the perfect spot, on the perfect night.

 **A/N: I made this chapter a bit shorter because I already posted a chapter tonight, and I really wanted to show the proposal.**

 **Hope y'all enjoy... wait a minute... OMG KATNISS AND PEETA ARE ENGAGED! How did this happen?**

 **I'm so happy for those two, even if they are fictional characters.**

 **BYE!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Let me just start out by saying that this is the third time I have rewritten this chapter.**

 **The first time, I didn't like the chapter, so I deleted it. The second time, I loved how the chapter turned out, then my computer decided to get all messed up and my chapter got deleted. Let's just hope it works this time round...**

 **UPDATE: I deleted the chapter again...**

 **:( Technology is SO annoying! ):**

 **ENJOY! :-)**

 **Chapter 19 (FOR THE THIRD TIME!) - Nope, fourth time! :-D**

The morning after Peeta proposed to me, he has to go back to work at the bakery. He now owns the bakery and has hired two other employees to help him out, who are named Coral and Ryker. I think the man in the woods who was hitting on me was named Ryker, but I'm not sure. I guess I won't know for sure until I go to visit Peeta at the bakery this afternoon.

I quickly do the dishes before I have to go to the bakery. As I'm cleaning a plate, it slips out of my hand and falls to the floor, breaking into a thousand pieces. This sends me into a bad flashback.

 _Where am I? Who am I? What is going on?_ Unanswered questions run frantically through my head as I try to figure out many other things.

Pain starts radiating throughout my whole body as I scream out in pain, hoping it might stop the pain, but it only gets worse. The there are voices screaming at me. The voices that haunt my nightmares at night. Prim, President Snow, Coin...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I scream over and over, but it doesn't do anything but make me feel like I'm on fire, then I feel like I am being stabbed, electrocuted, beaten.

" _Katniss!"_ I hear a familiar voice call, although it sounds as if it is a thousand miles away. _"Katniss, snap out of it!"_ The voice continues.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I scream louder as the pain gets stronger, and soon enough it's unbearable. "MAKE IT STOP!" I scream. "MAKE IT STOP!" But neither the voices nor the pain come to a halt, it just keeps going and going, never ending. "STOP! STOP! NOT REAL! NOT REAL!"

" _Katniss!"_ The other voice says, that seems more real, but I can barely hear it with the screams of my sister, and demands of Coin, and the devilish remarks from President Snow.

" _KATNISS! KATNISS HELP ME!" "Ms. Everdeen, it's the things we love the most, that destroy us!" "I am sending you to District 2." "SAVE ME!" "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." "Ready for another propo?"_

"STOP!" The voices come to a halt, the pain slowly fades away, and everything comes back to reality, slowly. I have no idea what is going on, because I don't remember anything except doing the dishes and now I'm here, on the kitchen floor curled in a ball.

Once my vision becomes clear again, I see Haymitch kneeling beside me.

"Haymitch?" I ask. "What are you doing here?"

"Peeta called me to check on you when you didn't come to the bakery." He tells me.

"W- what happened?" I stutter.

"You had a, uh, really bad flashback." He says. "Are you feeling okay now?"

"Yeah." I lie. Who could feel okay after what I had just experienced? "Can I go see Peeta?"

"Yes. Do you want me to walk you there?"

"No, I'm fine." I say. "Thank you for coming over."

"Thank Peeta." He smiles. "He was the one who sent me here."

"Okay. Well, um, you can go home now, and do whatever you do at your house. Drink beer or something."

"I'll go do that." He grumbles. Typical Haymitch.

When Haymitch leaves, I go to the bathroom to wipe off all the tear stains on my face, when I notice a big cut on my hand. How did that get there? It might have been from the plate I had dropped, but I don't know what happened during my flashback, all I could really remember was the screaming and the terrible pain.

I clean up the blood on my hand and wrap it in a thick bandage on it. I then notice, I had gotten some blood on my shirt too, so I have to quickly change my clothes before it gets too late to walk to the bakery.

Once I'm all ready to go, I'm heading out the door, when I notice there are multiple messages on the answering machine of the phone that weren't there earlier, so I should check those before I leave.

The first message on the phone is from Peeta.

" _Hey, Katniss,"_ Peeta's voice rings through the speakers. _"Where are you? You were supposed to be here 30 minutes ago! Call me back as soon as you get this, it's not like you to be this late."_

The next one is also from Peeta.

" _Katniss! Your worrying me! Where are you? It's been an hour and you haven't come to the bakery or called me back! Can you please just call me back so I know your okay? Your really freaking me out."_

The very last message, is once again from Peeta.

" _Okay, if your not going to call me back, then I'm sending Haymitch over to check on you! So you'd better call back unless you want that old drunk in our house again."_

I can't help but laugh at the last part, because I know he's trying to be serious, but I can't help but notice the slight hint of a joke in his voice.

I think Haymitch called Peeta to tell him I'll be on my way, so I'll just head to the bakery now instead of calling him back.

When I get half way to the bakery, I suddenly regret not calling Peeta back, but I'm pretty sure Haymitch did, right? Why wouldn't he? If he didn't then I'll be in a whole lot of trouble when Peeta see's me.

As I near the bakery I see Peeta in the window pacing back and forth through the window, with a worried expression on his face.

"Peeta?" I say as I open the door, as the chiming from the bell starts going off, indicating a customer has come in.

"Katniss!" He nearly shouts. "Where have you been? You didn't come to the bakery like you said you would and then you wouldn't even call back!"

"I know... I'm sorry."

"Well, you had me worried sick! I thought something happened to you!" At this point he's shouting, and the soft, gentle man I knew was gone.

"I'm sorry, Peeta!" I say, tears starting to come out of my eyes. "But it's not my fault!"

"Then whose fault is it? Huh?" He says, rather rudely. "What were you doing that was so secretive that you couldn't even call me back?! Huh?!"

"I was having a flashback!" I say. "I needed someone there to help me get out of it, but I know for a fact that that person will never be you!" I tell him coldly. He just started jumping to conclusions before I even got a chance to explain myself.

"Katniss... I – I didn't mean -" I cut him off before he can finish.

"Just forget it!" I say. "You can have your stupid ring back!" I throw the ring to the ground and leave the bakery. With the way Peeta was acting today, I'm not sure if this relationship is going to work. Because, frankly, I don't want to be with someone who will just jump to conclusions and then start yelling at you, as if expecting perfection.

 **Peeta's POV (Because I don't know what to do with my life anymore! :( )**

How could I be so stupid? I had the girl of my dreams, who I was going to marry, but I just lost her because I was being stupid! I shouldn't have yelled at her, it's not her fault, and it never will be, that she had a flashback. I just assumed she was doing something bad, like hanging out with other guys or something. But she wasn't, she was sitting at home, screaming in pain like she always does during a flashback. I have to stop her, because I know I can't live without her.

I quickly retrieve the ring she threw on the ground and slip it into my pocket.

"Katniss! Wait!" I scream, running through the bakery doors. "Katniss!" Once I reach her she pushes me away.

"Don't talk to me!" She coldly says. "I have nothing to say to you!" I notice the tear stains on her face, which only makes me feel worse about the situation and what I have done to her.

"Please?" I beg. "Just listen to me for one minute."

"NO!" She screams, reflecting that stubbornness that I admire about her. "Just leave me alone! Why don't you just go talk to some other girl? Like Delly, I'm sure she'll listen to whatever you have to say!" She yells at me.

"Katniss, please?" I continue begging. "I didn't mean to be so mean, I just thought you were doing something bad... or... something."

"Well, maybe next time, it'll be better to find out the situation before yelling at me about it!" She replies snuffly and coldly. "Now just leave me alone before I get out my bow and arrow and teach you a lesson with it."

"Can't we just talk about this? Please?"

"I said NO! Why can't you just leave me alone!" She screams. I want to keep trying to talk to her, but I think I've caused enough damage, and if I ever do want her to come back, I should stop talking, so I sadly walk back to the bakery, while she goes the opposite direction, which I presume she is going to the woods to let off some steam.

"Hey," Ryker says when I enter the bakery. He's one of my new employees that I hired. "It's okay, there will be other girls."

"Not like her." I mumble.

"Oh come on," Ryker says. "You could get any girl in town and they would be the luckiest girl in the world!"

"Ha!" I sadly laugh sarcastically. "Like who?" Even if he does give me a good suggestion, I will never love anybody like I love Katniss.

"Delly seems really into you. And haven't you guys been friends since you were, like 5?"

"I really don't want to be talking about other woman when I just got into a breakup."

"Sorry, dude." Ryker says. "I was just trying to help."

Yeah, sure he wanted to help. I saw the way he's been looking at Katniss, anybody could see it in his eyes that he's crushing on her, I bet he's trying to entice me into another relationship so Katniss can be his... but, now, Katniss can be with anybody, and I won't be apart of her life.

And that's the worst thing that has ever happened to me...

Worse than the Hunger Games...

Worse than the revolution...

Worse than the death of my family...

 **Back to Katniss' POV (IDK why)**

I sit silently on the bed in my house that I haven't slept on in months, as the tears stream down my face, silent tears. It went from sobs to silent tears, then back to sobs, then silent tears again. I expect the sobs to kick in anytime now.

I look around the mostly deserted room. All that is in here is a bag of my clothes that I just brought over and the furniture that has been left here, including my bed with just a throw blanket on it and a dresser against the wall. This room makes me more depressed than I already am, but I know I did the right thing, right? No man should act like that, it's inhumane.

Then, here come the sobbing, as I think of Peeta's sweet smile, that I'll never see again. Because I lost him... and he lost me... we lost each other and I couldn't be anymore upset about it.

But will I heal? Will this pain destroy the both of us? I never deserved a man like him, so I know he's better off with some other girl.

Suddenly, the phone starts ringing, I debate whether or not to pick it up, but the ringing gets so annoying, I just have to stop it from giving me a migraine.

"Hello?" I say into the receiver, trying to hide the fact that I've been crying.

"Katniss?" It's Peeta.

"I don't want to talk." I say immediately.

"Please? Can't we work this out?" He begs me.

"I'll give you two minutes, and then I'm hanging up." I tell him.

"I didn't mean to yell at you, I was just really worried that something bad happened to you, because I don't want you ever getting hurt. I – I never want to leave you alone. I remember when I first saw you, and I just knew that you were the one... and now, every time I see you, I – I think the same thing... you are the one for me." By this time I'm in tears. I quickly look out my window and see across the way that Peeta's light is on, so he must be home. Without saying anything, I hang up the phone and run out of the house.

I slowly turn the doorknob of Peeta's house and see him slumped over the phone in defeat. I start walking his way, and as I take my first step, he has already turned around to find me standing there. Before speaking, I go up to him and wrap my arms around him.

"I'm sorry." I say. "I'm sorry for overreacting."

"Don't apologize," I can hear in his voice that he is crying. "I was being stupid, will you forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me." I have tears streaming down my face, as I feel the droplets of tears from Peeta.

He doesn't answer, just sobs louder, as do I.

"Can we please never fight like that again? Please?" I beg, still sobbing.

"Yes!" He sobs. "Please!" I quickly nod my head.

When we break apart, I look down and remember that I had thrown my ring on the ground at the bakery.

"Do you have my ring?" I ask. He digs into his pocket and retrieves the small diamond ring that indicates our engagement. "Thank you." I say as he slips it on my finger.

"I was hoping you would want it back." He smiles. We've only been apart for a little bit, but I had missed that smile so much.

"I'm glad to have it back." I say, observing it on my finger. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asks.

"For everything."

"I'd do anything for you." He replies. "Because I love you... more than you'd ever think."

"I love you too." I smile up at him and I see the glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Hope for the future...

Hope for us...

Hope for eternity...

And I wouldn't want it any other way.

 _Can you believe it?_

I was a flight risk, afraid to fall in love, to ever feel the way I feel right now. I didn't believe any of this was really possible, being in love. I was too afraid... of being my mother. I didn't want it to be taken away from me, I didn't want to give up on the hope of life going... but look at me now. I can see it. Why everyone is always trying to find the _perfect_ one, when all that searching isn't even necessary, because we found love right where we were.

"Peeta," I say when we are both in bed. "Will you promise to grow old with me?"

"I promise to grow old with you." He promises. "And to love you forever."

"I promise too... we'll get through everything... together."

"Together." He repeats. "I love you."

"I love you too... forever and always."

Turns out, we'll be saying 'forever and always' to each other forever... it's our thing, our _new_ thing.

"Forever and Always." He repeats, as we both drift off into a blissful sleep.

 **A/N: There you go, chapter 19! Hope y'all liked it.**

 **I made them fight because no relationship is perfect. I didn't plan on them having a fight... _yet..._ but I figured it would be good for the plot.**

 **Have a wonderful day everybody and may the odds be ever in your favor...**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Chapter 20 is here! OMG! I didn't think I would make it this far, but I did and it's all thanks to you guys because you all are amazing at reviewing and I appreciate it very much.**

 **I hope you will enjoy this chapter, because honestly, I once again have no idea what it is going to be about. I figured maybe it will be... Hmmm... NOPE! Still have no idea, I'll have to think about it for a little bit before I start the chapter.**

 **So, while I'm thinking, I'm going to tell you my goals for this story. I want to start making my chapters longer, maybe like 5,000 to 7,000 words each chapter. I know that's a lot, but there's this author on FanFiction that is amazing and he writes about 7,000 words each chapter, and he inspired me to try it as well.**

 **I also want to get to at least 100 reviews, so if you guys could help me with that then that would be great!**

 **Well, I'll get on with the chapter now!**

 **ENJOY!  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, because I am not one of those amazing authors who sell _New York Times Bestselling_ novels, I am just a 13 year old who enjoys writing FanFiction. All rights go to Suzanne Collins. **

**Chapter 20**

Wedding day. Only the most memorable day in a girls life. As each guest comes in on the train, one by one, first Annie, her son and my mother, then Johanna and Effie, and many more. Of course, we will have guests who are already in the district, like Haymitch, Greasy Sae, Madge and others.

I am stoked for the actual wedding day, but that isn't for a week, and for that whole week, Annie makes Peeta and I separate so that our moment at the alter is even more memorable. Of course, I didn't want to be apart from Peeta that long, but Annie was so enthusiastic about the whole thing being just right, so I just had to go along with it.

Peeta, on the other hand is probably fine with being apart from me for a little bit, so he can spend time with his best men, Haymitch and Ryker. I had found out that Ryker was indeed the man in the woods, and he is still trying to hook up with me when Peeta's not around. But Ryker is Peeta's best employee and they are absolute best friends together and I don't want to ruin that for them. Though, I know Peeta is noticing how Ryker eyes me, but I guess Peeta is just ignoring that since they are best friends.

"Katniss!" Annie shouts. "Aren't you going to model your dress for us?"

"Do I have to?" I ask. "The wedding is not for a week, and frankly, I think your more excited than I am, so why don't you and Johanna try on your bridesmaid dresses for me?"

"Come on, Katniss." Annie begs. "I really want to see your dress, and little Fin here was begging to see some big, puffy dresses." She motions towards her son, who is standing right next to her, hiding behind Annie's leg.

"Why don't you try it on?" Johanna asks, and of course, it comes out bitter and sarcastic. "What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing." I retort. "I just don't feel like trying it on yet, okay?"

"So, you haven't even seen if it fits yet?" Annie asks.

"Of course I did! It's the same dress Cinna made for me when mine and Peeta were getting married for the cameras." I say.

"Well, you look like you could have put on some weight." Johanna says.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I immediately ask.

"I'm just saying that your a little fatter than you were the last time I saw you." She says back.

"I'll prove to you that I haven't gained any weight! I'm telling you, that dress with fit me just as perfectly as it did two years ago!"

"Hmm... I'll believe it when I see it." Johanna scoffs. I know that dress will fit, even as I'm marching up the stairs to get my dress on, I don't have any second thoughts, because I know it will fit.

When I'm heading downstairs, with the dress perfectly attached to my body, Johanna scoffs at my beautiful dress.

"I told you it would fit." I say snuffly. "But you didn't believe me!" I motion towards both of them.

"I knew it would fit, Katniss!" Annie says. "I just really wanted to see the dress in real life, rather than on a TV screen from two years ago. Oh, and you look lovely!"

"Thank you, Annie!" I smile.

"Hey has anyone seen-" Peeta walks in, which I don't know why, because he is supposed to be away from me for the next week.

"PEETA!" Annie yells, as both her and Johanna try their best to cover my dress. "Don't you know it's bad luck to see your bride in her wedding dress before the wedding?"

"Sorry!" He says and leaves the house to go back to his own business.

"That was a close one!" Annie sighs. "He's not even allowed to see you yet! How rude of him!" She says jokingly and we all start laughing. "Okay, now get out of that dress before anyone else sees you!" She orders.

"You were the once coaxing me to get it on! Now you want it off! Real smooth, Annie!" I laugh.

"I'm sorry, but if anyone else sees you in that dress then we'll either have to get a new dress or cancel the wedding, because it is not going to work if everyone already knows what your wearing." Annie says.

"Don't be ridiculous, Annie!" Johanna scoffs. "We are not going to cancel the wedding just because a few people saw her dress!"

"This kind of thing is very serious, Johanna!" Annie argues. "Now get out of the dress, Katniss!"

"Yes, your highness!" I joke.

"Hey, watch it missy, you don't want to go down to one bridesmaid in a matter of minutes, do you?" Annie warns me.

"No." I giggle. "But don't think I can't purposely go down to one bridesmaid." I then disappear up the stairs to remove my dress.

After a few minutes I hear Johanna yelling at me to hurry up.

"Hold your horses!" I yell back.

"Well, if you don't want to help decorate the meadow then you'd better get your ass down here!" Johanna screams back.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming." I say.

"Johanna," I hear Annie scold. "You cannot deny the bride the chance to decorate her own wedding! And watch your language, there's a child here!"

"It's not my fault she's so slow!"

"I can hear you!" I say as I appear in the doorway.

"Come on!" Annie says. "We need to get the alter set up, and Fin really wants to see the forest."

"Okay, let's go!" I say as we all head towards the meadow. "Will Peeta be there?" I ask hopefully.

"Of course not!" Annie says. "Your not allowed to see him until the wedding, and after he almost got a glimpse of you today, I don't think we can take anymore chances."

"Fine." I huff. "But can I at least see him tomorrow? I can't go a whole week without him!" I whine.

"Absolutely not!" Annie says evenly.

"Besides, us girls are going to be busy tomorrow night!" Johanna smirks.

"With what?" I ask suspiciously.

"Uh, the bachelorette party! Duh!" Johanna says.

"Since when did we get a bachelorette party set up?" I ask.

"Johanna and I got it ready. We figured you would want to have a fun night before you were married." Annie replies.

"Who else is coming?" I ask.

"All the girls who will be at the wedding, including Delly. She begged to come, and I couldn't say no." Annie smiles.

"Why on earth would you invite her?" I ask in disgust.

"Well she wanted to come so badly, and she is coming to the wedding anyways." Annie says.

"Wait, who invited her?" I ask.

"Well, if it wasn't you then Peeta did, Brainless!" Johanna snivels.

"Peeta wouldn't invite her to our wedding, especially since she's been out to get Peeta ever since we got home from District 13!" I almost yell.

"Well, somebody invited her!" Johanna yells. "I'm sure Peeta invited her because he secretly likes her!"

"That's not true Johanna!" I yell. "Why do you think we're having this wedding? It's not for the cameras anymore and you know it!"

"Okay, okay!" She backs down. "I'll stop talking so I don't make the girl on fire anymore flaming."

"Oh come on, I know you can do better than that!" I retort for her lack of insults.

"I can, I'm just choosing not to!" She says back.

"Can you guys stop fighting now?!" Annie asks. "We're supposed to be having a good time together before the wedding!"

"Oh, by putting out chairs and decorating the alter?" Johanna asks sarcastically. "Hmm hmm, real fun!"

"Oh, be quiet, Johanna!" Annie says, but we can hear that she is trying to hold in a laugh. Johanna and I start laughing uncontrollably, and to be honest, we don't even know why. Soon, though, Annie joins in the laughter.

"But, seriously, Katniss, you'd better watch out or the next wedding will be Peeta and Delly's and you'll be at the Justice Building signing divorce papers." Johanna tells me seriously.

"Johanna, for the thousandth time, Peeta is not going to leave me!" I say.

"I can hear doubt in your voice." Honestly, I heard some doubt too, but I know Peeta would never leave me, right? We promised we'd grow old together, and we are sticking to that promise.

"Johanna, stop it!" Annie butts in. "Is it really that nice to tell a bride-to-be that her groom is going to leave her the first chance he gets? I mean come on, your better than that!"

"Annie, have you met Johanna?" I laugh. "She is the total opposite of nice!"

"HEY!" Johanna yells. I can tell she is getting tired of walking by this point. "Are we almost there? We've been walking in these woods for, like, 10 minutes!"

"Johanna, it's only been 5 minutes!" I say teasingly impatiently. "And yes, we are almost there!"

The rest of the way to the meadow, we just laugh and tease each other. Once we have made it to the opening of the meadow, we all go towards the place where the alter is at and Fin immediately picks up some fake flowers that were lying on the ground and puts them around around the alter. He has been so quiet this whole time, I forgot he was even there.

"Katniss, can you help me set up the chairs?" Annie asks.

"Of course!" I say, and head over to Annie where she has a whole bunch of chairs ready to be laid out. "Where should we start?"

"Over there!" Annie points towards the front of the alter, where the first row is going to be placed. "Fin, stay close to Auntie Jo, okay?"

"Okay, mommy!" Fin replies as he hops over to Johanna, who is talking to some guy by the alter.

"Okay, let's get started!" Annie shouts enthusiastically. We both start setting up the chairs, which takes about 5 minutes, since we are going to be having a lot of guests, but not so many that it's overwhelming. Once all the chairs are nicely set up, we switch to putting out a white carpet down the aisle, which leads to the alter. The alter now has a beautiful arrangement of flowers, done perfectly by Johanna and Fin.

After we help us much as we can, we are asked to leave the meadow so that the rest of the wedding set up is a surprise to us. So, we decide to go to one of the new restaurants in town. Annie takes Fin to my mom and all us girls, Johanna, Annie and I, go to dinner together. This new restaurant is pretty nice. Since we have a new president and everything, there has been nicer things all around the country, including better restaurants. Or, restaurants at all, because we didn't really have restaurants before.

"What should we order?" Annie asks when we are seated at a table and glancing at the menu. "This shrimp looks good."

"Annie and her seafood." Johanna rolls her eyes. "We get that you live by the ocean, but do you have to eat seafood all the time? It's kind of sickening watching you eat it!"

"Hey!" Annie shouts back. "I like seafood! And living by the ocean has nothing to do with me liking it! And you'd better deal with it, because I heard they are having a whole table full of seafood at the wedding!"

"Where did you hear that from?" I giggle. I certainly didn't order any seafood for the wedding.

"Peeta said that he would have some seafood there!" Annie smiles.

"Okay." I smile. "I think I'll just get some lamb stew. It's my favorite."

Soon enough, we have all eaten our food. Annie had gotten seafood, of course! Johanna got a cheeseburger, which I'm surprised they had, and I got lamb stew like I said I would.

"What should we do now?" Annie asks.

"I wanted to go to a store to get something for Katniss." Johanna says.

"What could you possibly want to get for me?" I ask.

"You'll see." Johanna leads us to the center of town and we head into a shop with a huge sign on the front labeled _Lingerie_.

"You've got to be kidding me." I whine. "There is no way I am going in there, or getting anything for that matter."

"You have to wear one of these on your wedding night!" Johanna tells me. "He'll love it, and maybe you'll be able to have bread boy longer if you wear this in front of him!"

"What are you saying?" I ask shocked.

"I'm just saying that that Delly girl is going to get to him eventually." She pretty much huffs.

"She will not!" I argue. "And I do not want to wear any of these ridiculous lingerie's!" I don;t have time to pull away when Johanna drags me into the shop, with Annie following close behind.

"Your getting one too, Annie!" Johanna says.

"Oh come on!" Annie whines. "I have no man to impress, why do I need one?"

"Because if you get one, then maybe you will get a man to impress."

"I'll only get one if you guys do." Annie makes a deal with us.

"Fine." Johanna agrees. But I am not as easy to follow.

"I will not stand in front of Peeta with one of these things on!" I say, glancing at all the inappropriate outfits around me.

"Why? You scared?" Johanna asks.

"Of course not!" I say quickly. "I just don't want to look ridiculous in front of my new husband!"

"You look ridiculous no matter what you wear!"

"Excuse me? What it missy!"

"You know you want one!" Johanna says. "Plus, Peeta would get a kick out of it!" She has a point. It could be my wedding gift to Peeta. _Yeah, a stupid gift._

"Fine!" I agree. "I'll do it if you get one too."

Johanna laughs. "I'm getting two!" She says.

"I'll do it." Annie says nervously. "But nobody can make me wear it."

"Perfect!" Johanna says. "We can all get one then!"

I want to get out of this store as fast as possible, so I quickly pick out a black, lacy lingerie with silk, thin straps. I don't plan on wearing it, but if it will make Johanna shut up, I'm with it. And who knows, maybe I'll change my mind and Peeta will end up loving it.

"Can we leave now?" I ask when we have all picked out a lingerie, well Johanna bought two, of course!

"Yes, let's go!" Annie pretty much begs.

"Fine, I've had enough fun torturing you for one night." Johanna smirks. "I'm getting tired anyways."

We all make it back to my house and Annie and Johanna go to their rooms while I go to my own and hide the lingerie in the back of my dresser drawer. I hear the phone ringing and I go to pick it up, not knowing it might be.

"Better watch your back." A creepy voice says.

"Who is this?"

"Just know that I always know where you are, so watch it. You'll be dead in a matter of weeks."

The line goes dead.

 **A/N: Well, that was a fun girls day, wasn't it? I honestly didn't think this chapter would be like this, but it was!**

 **Hope y'all liked it! I had fun writing it, because I know I love hanging out with my friends, so it was fun seeing how Katniss does it.**

 **Have a nice day y'all and may the odds be ever in your favor!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: No surprise! I have no idea what this chapter is going to be about. :(**

 **Guess we'll just have to wait and see. But I'm sad right now, because Peeta wasn't in the last chapter!**

 **To be honest, I think the bride and groom can't see each other the night before the wedding, not a week before the wedding, but whatever!**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Chapter 21**

The call frightens me, leaving me wide-eyed and frozen to my spot. Prank? Who knows, it may have been a prank.

This call will definitely give me nightmares, and I don't think I can go this night without Peeta. I need his warm touch and his arms wrapped around me. I need him now.

Without saying a word to anybody, I sneak out the front door and head over to mine and Peeta's house. I take the key out of my back pocket and slowly unlock the door, allowing me access. Once the door is open I find that all the lights are off, so he must be asleep.

I slowly walk up the staircase, being careful not to cause any creaking so I can just surprise Peeta when I get up there.

I find Peeta in our bedroom, where his eyes are closed but I can tell he is not sleeping. I slip into bed with him and just as I thought his eyes open immediately. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asks.

"Not without you." I answer. "Sorry, am I bothering you?"

"No, of course not. I was considering calling and asking you to come over." I wrap my hand around his and he feels the bandage on my hand, that happened during my flashback, apparently he never noticed it. "What happened to your hand?"

"Nothing." I tell him. "It was just from the flashback, I don't exactly know what happened."

"Did you get hurt anywhere else?" He asks, suddenly fully concerned.

"No!" I say. "Really, Peeta, it's nothing."

"It's not nothing, you could've hurt yourself badly." He says warily.

"It's okay!" I say. "Really, I've been through worse."

We are silent for a minute, and then I ask him a question.

"Would you ever leave me for someone else?" Johanna had gotten me really worried that Delly would take him from me, no matter how hard I hid it from her and myself.

"No." He quickly says. "I would never. Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know." I say. "Johanna kept teasing me, saying you were going to leave me for Delly the first chance you got. She just got me really worried about it, I guess."

"Katniss, look at me." He coaxes. "Look at me." He says more firmly this time. "I would never leave you, not in a million years. Don't listen to what anyone says, because none of it is true, you hear me? None of it is true. You are the only person in my life that I love! You are all I have left, you have to know that I would never leave you for anybody! I will not leave you no matter what! I can promise you that, and that's a promise that I will never, ever break."

"Really?" I ask, my voice cracking a little bit as the tears freely stream down my face.

"Really." He confirms. "Your the only one for me! And that's final."

"Thank you..." I say. "For that, it was beautiful."

"I love you." He stares me in the eyes and won't break eye contact for anything in the world.

"I love you too. Forever and always."

"Forever and always." He repeats with a smile as we both drift off into a sleep full of nightmares.

" _Who are you?" I ask. I hear footsteps and whispers, but as soon as the first word left my mouth, they stopped. "Who are you?" I ask again. I am in complete darkness, nothing but a faint white light somewhere. As the white light starts to expand, I see shadows in those white lights. I can't make out the shadows, but I know for a fact that they are doctors of some sort._

" _Where am I?" I ask. "Who are you?"_

" _Shush, Ms. Everdeen." A snake-like voice replies. "It's your own fault your here, you chose to be in the games."_

" _I never wanted any of this," I say. "Never wanted to be in the games. I just wanted to save my sister... and keep Peeta alive."_

" _Ms. Everdeen..." The voice continues. "It's the things we love the most..." He pauses for a second, and then adds, "that destroy us."_

 _President Snow..._

"AAAAHHHH!" I scream out, jumping up as I awaken. Peeta is already there to cradle me.

"Ssh..." He soothes. "It's okay, it was only a bad dream..."

I cry into his arms like a baby, but I've done this so many times before, that it has no effect on me whatsoever.

"Stay with me?" I sob. "Please?"

"Always." He tells me. "I promise." He continues cradling me until I have calmed down enough to go back to sleep, only when I do... I am met with more terrors.

 **Yo... y'all, we're going to skip to the wedding day now!**

I put on my beautiful white dress that Cinna made me right before he was brutally murdered. I can still spin in it to turn it into a mockingjay... which is why he is dead now. But I can't dwell on the past on my wedding day, I have to be strong today... I have to be happy.

"Can I do your makeup now?" Annie asks once my dress is fully on. I nod my head in response. She takes her time doing my makeup and hair, and by the time she is finished it is a whole hour later. "Let me get your flowers and then your all ready to go." Annie smiles. My hair is in a bun, with two strands coming down the side, and my makeup is simple enough. I put my veil on myself and thank Annie.

"Thank you so much, Annie!" I say. "For everything."

"That's what friends are for, silly." She giggles. "But, I have to go, because there are some people who want to see you before you go down the aisle."

"Okay." I say as Annie leaves and my mother walks in, smiling at me.

"Hello, Katniss." She says politely. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe my baby girl is getting married." She starts crying tears of joy.

"Mom," I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her small, frail figure. "Please don't cry. Your going to make me cry and ruin my makeup." I don't really care about my makeup, it's just that Annie spent so long doing it, I couldn't possibly mess up all her hard work.

"I'm sorry, Katniss." She says. "I'm just so happy for you and Peeta! And it's not everyday that you get married, it's usually a one time thing."

"I know." I agree. "And I couldn't be happier either. I know Peeta is the one."

"I know he is. It's just, when you were young, I didn't believe that in just a few years, everything was going to be completely different."

"Mom, don't you worry about me." I tell her. "Peeta is the right one, he makes promises that he keeps and he's never going to leave, so please, don't you worry about me."

"I'll try, but it's in a mothers instinct to worry about her child. You know, I'm not worried he's going to hurt you or anything, I'm just worried of what might come out of this." She tells me. "But nonetheless, I'm happy for you. And I couldn't be more proud of you."

"Thank you, mom. I love you so much!" I squeeze her body into a hug.

"I love you too, baby!" She tells me. "I love you too. Well, I must be going, there are more people who want to see you before you become Mrs. Mellark."

"Goodbye, mom."

"Bye." She exits the room and the door opens moments later to reveal another person... Gale.

"Hey, Catnip." He says. "Long time no see." He smiles at me.

"Gale! You came." I smile.

"I couldn't miss my best friends wedding." He smiles at me. "I'm happy for you, Catnip."

"Thank you, Gale." I tell him. "I was kinda worried you would ignore my invitation."

"Are you kidding?" He laughs. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. I also wanted to say I was sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For being so cruel to you while we were in 13. I was just jealous." He laughs towards the end. "But, I understand why you chose him, like someone once told me, fire and fire just don't work. Peeta can give you more than I can offer, and although we have been friends for years, I know that doesn't mean we were meant for each other."

"Thank you, Gale. That means a lot to me... really, it does."

"Congratulations, Catnip. I've never been happier for anyone in my life."

"Thanks." I tell him. "And thank you for coming too, it means a lot to me."

"Bye." He smiles and leaves. I'm glad Gale isn't angry about any of this. I was scared if I invited him then he would go off at either me or Peeta, but he didn't, he was the same man I met in the woods all those years ago.

"You ready to go, sweetheart?" Haymitch comes in, he will be walking me down the aisle.

"Yeah." I smile the biggest smile ever. "Let's do this."

It takes a few minutes, but once we get down to the meadow I finally see the rest of the set up. There is a tent set up near the alter, where the ceremony is, so that we have a place for the reception. I can't see inside the tent, but there is a little slit for the door and I can barely make out a bunch of tables and food.

I'm brought back to reality when the music starts playing. I watch as Annie goes down the aisle with little Fin, since Haymitch was waling me down the aisle instead. Once Annie is at the front she places Fin on the opposite side of Peeta and she goes to the other side. I can't quite see Peeta, but from what I can see, he looks more handsome than ever.

Johanna goes down the aisle next with Ryker. Ugh. Just the thought of Ryker makes me want to barf, especially after what he tried to do in the woods, and has been trying to do ever since.

Then, before I know it, Haymitch is pulling me along down the aisle. We walk slowly, corresponding to the music. I make eye contact with Peeta and he smiles at me, his eyes shining brighter than ever, as he stares at me in awe. I smile back at him, and then me and Haymitch stop at the very front, right before we enter onto the alter.

"Who will be giving away Katniss Everdeen?" The preacher asks.

"Me," Haymitch says. "And Katniss' mother." Haymitch then gives me a kiss on the cheek and takes his place beside Ryker and Fin. I take my place right in front of Peeta, as we join hands.

"You look amazing." He whispers to me, smiling his dazzling smile that drives me wild.

"You too." I whisper back.

"We are gathered here today," the preacher starts saying. "To witness the marriage of two people, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Mr. Mellark, I would like you to repeat after me..." I get lost in Peeta's eyes, wanting to freeze this moment right here, right now and live in it forever. Before I know it the preacher has asked us to recite our vows. Peeta recites his first.

"Katniss," he begins. "I have been in love with you since I was five years old. Even then, I knew you were the one for me." He has made tears stream down my face with his beauty with words. "I've never loved anyone as much as I have loved you, and I'm hoping we can happily grow old together in this new, peaceful world. And I can't begin to thank you enough for giving me everything I've ever wanted in life. You make my life complete, Katniss Everdeen, and I could never be happier with anyone else in the world."

Now it is mine turn, but I don't think I could ever top off something as amazing as that.

"I'd like to begin by thanking you," I begin. "Those vows were perfect... Peeta, you've changed me. You've changed me for the better. I used to think that love didn't exist, that it was all just something people made up, but when I met you, I knew it was real. Sure, I didn't see it at first, but once I realized it, I never wanted our time together to end. I guess I'm just trying to say thank you. Thank you for changing me into a better person, thank you for loving me when no one else would, thank you for giving me everything a girl could dream of."

"If anyone objects, speak now or forever hold your peace." The preacher man said. Everyone is quiet, so no one objects, that must mean Delly is not here. "Very good! Now, do you Peeta Mellark, take Katniss Everdeen to be your wife?"

"I do!" He smiles bigger than ever.

"Do you, Katniss Everdeen, take Peeta to be your husband?"

"I do!" I say with a smile.

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Peeta plants his lips on mine, as we share the first kiss as husband and wife. We then all go towards the big tent for the reception. I am over the top with excitement right now! I couldn't be happier.

Peeta and I are seated at a table near the front of the tent, while everyone else is towards the far end of the tent.

"I love you." I tell Peeta while we are seated at the table eating our dinner.

"I love you too. Forever and always."

"Forever and always." I repeat as we share a kiss.

"Can I have everybody's attention?" We hear Effie shout. "It is time for the bride and groom's first dance!"

"Come on." Peeta pulls me along.

"No, Peeta, I can't dance!" I argue.

"Please?" He begs. "For me." I can't say no to that.

"Fine." I huff as we make our way to the dance floor. "But only for a few minutes."

"Okay." He laughs.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"You." He smiles.

"What about me?" I ask as we start slow dancing.

"Your so... you."

"I'm so me?" I try to look surprised.

"Yeah." He laughs. "Your always acting so pure."

"Me? Pure?" I act surprised. "Well, that's not the first time I've heard that from you."

The rest of the dance we are silent, except for occasional kisses and smiles to each other.

"Can we go sit down now?" I ask. "My feet are killing me."

"Yeah." He nods as we take our seats.

"Katniss?" Annie comes to our table. "Katniss, there's someone outside who wants to see you, I think they wanted to give you something."

"Right now? But it's dark outside!" I observe.

"It'll be fine, Katniss." Annie tells me. "It'll just be real quick, I'm sure."

I glance over to Peeta and he has a questioning look on his face.

"I'll be right back." I tell him sweetly.

"Are you sure? I can come with you." He offers.

"I'll be fine." I tell him and give him a peck on the lips. "It'll just be one second."

"Okay." He unconvincingly agrees. "Just be careful."

"I will. I love you." I then exit the tent and go into the darkness. "Hello?" I call out. I hear footsteps so I know somebody is out here as well, just as Annie had said. "Hello?" I call again.

"Over here!" They call back. The voice sounds familiar, but I can't seem to put my finger on it.

"Where?" I ask. I look around a little more, and I see a dark figure near the trees. "Can you come out?" I ask, nervously

"No, I need you to come here." They say. It sounds like a mans voice, but it's hard to tell since they are so quiet.

"Um... okay." I slowly walk towards the figure and once I get to them, they don't move a muscle. "Hello?" The person still doesn't move, so I touch him or her and they fall to the ground. Only, it's not a they, because it's not even a person, it was a big doll of some sort. But who was talking? "Hello?" I call out again. This time, my only response is a huge hit on my head, causing me to fall to the ground and scream out.

"I told you to watch out." The person tells me. That's who it was? The person on the phone?

"HELP!" I scream, but am silenced as my world slowly fades to black from being smacked on the head once more.

 **Peeta POV (Oh, this is getting interesting. I needed a good plot twist.)**

I hear a scream that is all too familiar to me. Katniss! I've jumped up from my seat when I hear another scream.

"HELP!" I hear Katniss scream. I am quick to the entrance of the tent as I zoom out, only to find that it is too dark to see anything. By this time, most of everyone are outside too.

"KATNISS!" I scream. "KATNISS!" I see someone moving in the distance, holding someone that I can only assume to be Katniss, I run towards them, not stopping for a single breath. I hear a car engine turn on and then the car zooms away, but I keep running. Once I have lost all my breath I collapse to the ground in a heap. How could I be so stupid? I let Katniss go out on her own and now I lost her... again. I've lost her too many times before, and I just let it happen again.

She's gone, my world slowly crumbles, as my heart breaks. She's gone. I have to save her, but how? The peacekeepers! They'll help!

"SOMEBODY!" I scream. "GO GET A PEACEKEEPER! NOW!" I see multiple people running out of the meadow, as a few stay behind. I go towards Katniss' mom and see she is crying. "I'm so sorry." I tell her.

"Here." She hands me something. "I found this on the ground." I look down and see that it is Katniss' veil... with a smear of blood near the top.

My heart slowly breaks for my love, who was taken away from me on our wedding day.

 **A/N: So, this has been a really popular idea, Katniss being kidnapped on her wedding day and I thought 'Why not?'**

 **Plus, she did get a threat...**

 **So, there is going to be a HUGE plot twist... that's right, this isn't the huge plot twist, this is only part of it, but you'll have to wait until the next chapter to figure out what it is.**

 **So, this story is getting hard to write, so that's why I needed a plot twist to help pull the story along. :D**

 **Have a nice day and may the odds be ever in your favor.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey guys... I'm going to be completely honest with you guys, I'm scared to write this chapter.**

 **Probably because even I don't know what is going to happen, but I do have the plot twist all planned out, so you'll just have to read on to find out.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer: Do I own this? NO! Do I want to own this? YES! All rights go to Suzanne Collins, who is amazing at her work, because without her, there would be no Hunger Games Fan Fiction, or Hunger Games in general. But she also increased the chances of the Hunger Games really happening, so that's the bad part. :(**

 **JK!**

 **Chapter 22 – Katniss' POV**

Weeks. Weeks of torture and torment. Weeks of hurt and misery. Weeks without Peeta. It's only been two, three, maybe four weeks since I've been kidnapped. I don't know, I've lost count, plus I haven't seen daylight in so long I don't even know when day or night hits.

"My name is Katniss Mellark. I'm 19 years old. I live in District 12. I'm married to Peeta Mellark. I was kidnapped on our wedding day. I've been beat, hurt, and struck by..."

Just then the man walks into the room, the man who has been torturing me for so long.

"Ryker..." I say coldly. He had kidnapped me, and turns out he never loved me, he just needed to get close to me so his boss could have me. The thing is though, I have no idea who the boss is. He must be an evil person, considering all the torment I've been put through was obviously directed by him. I guess he is just one of those people who never wanted the games to end, never wanted the evil tyrant to be killed.

"Up!" Ryker demands harshly. Everyday I'm hurt in some way, all I do is sit here and wait for my daily punishment to arrive. "Come with me." That's strange. Out of all the times I've been tortured, never once have I left the room. The 'room' being a small concrete cell with nothing but me and a drain for my blood inside.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"No questions." Ryker says emotionless like always. I reluctantly follow him to a room as he throws me inside the big metal doors. He leaves me alone in the room, all alone.

"KATNISS!" I hear a voice scream. "KATNISS! KATNISS HELP ME!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH" Another voice screams. Both these voices sound familiar. Peeta and Prim. But that can't be Prim, Prim is... dead.

"Peeta! Prim!" No, the voices are fake, they're all fake.

"AAAAAHHHH, KATNISS! HELP ME!" That one was Gale.

"Gale!"

"SAVE ME!" This time it is Peeta again.

"PEETA! PEETA WHERE ARE YOU?" I can't tell if they're real or not, it's all so confusing. Then all the screams hit me at once, and it is so overwhelming that I crumple to the ground, screaming my head off.

"NO!" I scream, although I can barely hear myself because my own scream is only mixing with the rest of them. "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

"KATNISS! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME!" Prim screams. This one hits me hard. "YOU COULD'VE SAVED ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T! YOU LET ME DIE! I'M DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"NO!" I scream back. "THEY'RE NOT REAL! NOT REAL!" The tears sting my eyes, but it's so hard to notice them because of how tightly my eyes are shut.

"Have you had enough?" I hear another voice say. It's a male voice, but I know it all too well. It can't possibly be... it's not! He's dead.

"SNOW?!" I scream out.

"Ah, so that heart of stone actually does remember me?" His snake-like voice fills with more venom which each word. Suddenly the screaming stops and the door opens, and the person who comes into the room will forever haunt my nightmares.

"Snow." I whisper.

"How nice to see you." He lies. I can see it in his eyes. "I'm sorry to just drop in like this, but I couldn't wait any longer to meet the girl on fire once again."

"I – I thought you were d – dead." I stutter.

"Yes," He says. "But this country has a habit of burying people before they're dead."

Now, looking back, I wish I had told somebody about the threat call, because maybe then, I wouldn't be in this situation.

 **Peeta's POV**

They haven't found her! It's been weeks and they still haven't found my wife! I've even tried looking all around the district, hoping to find some sign of her... but nothing.

Annie refused to leave until Katniss was back safely, she also made Johanna stay too, and I thanked them for that. But even though they've tried to cheer me up, nothing could heal this broken heart of mine.

"Come on, Peeta!" Annie tries to comfort me. "She'll be okay. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry?" I sob. "She's been gone for weeks now, and there's not a single trace of her! She could be..." I dare not finish the sentence I started, because I can't think like that.

"Peeta!" Annie scolds. "Don't you dare even think like that! They'll find her, I promise."

"You can't promise that!" I've been extremely snappy with everyone ever since Katniss has gone missing. What's the point of being nice to anyone anyways? It will just make me more sad, I don't know how but it will.

"Peeta, you have to have faith! Don't count her out yet, I bet she is fighting her way back to you right now." She encourages me, but it doesn't help much.

"I just want to be alone." I say quietly. "I don't want to talk to anybody right now."

"If that's what you want." She says. "I'll leave." And she exits the house without another word.

I don't realize I have been sitting here for hours until there is a knock on the front door. I tell myself not to answer it, probably just somebody who wants to _try_ and make me feel better, but I won't buy any of it.

The knocking continues for longer and I get tired of hearing it, so I reluctantly get up and answer it. To my surprise it is a peacekeeper.

"Mr. Mellark," he says. "We have some news about your wife."

"What?!" I ask quickly.

"We found some evidence, leading to her whereabouts in District 6." He tells me. "We have ordered an immediate search of the area."

My mouth hangs open in shock. They found out where she is?! This is amazing! I'll get to see my wife again!

 **Back to Katniss' POV**

I watch my blood slowly drip into the drain as I sit here, my head feeling lighter by the second. I know I don't have long to live, but I have to hold on as long as possible. For Peeta!

My mind slowly goes through every moment of mine and Peeta's wedding. Every little detail I can remember. I play it over and over, making sure I get every detail right. It's keeping me sane, but at the same time is keeping me alive, distracting me from the thought of death.

 _I can do it... I can do it... I'll get through it._

But how? I'm only human. There is no way past this, especially after the last beating I had received, I'm starting to think this is the end.

No, it can't be. I promised Peeta we would grow old together. I need to get back to him, and fulfill that promise that I had made so many times before... so many times.

 _Keep holding on... I can do it... just a little longer._

But how much longer? Will anyone rescue me? Or find me? I don't even know where I am, so if I were to get out (if at all possible) where would I go? I'm probably miles away from any civilization. Plus, I am in no state to walk, or even crawl. I'm useless right now.

Suddenly, the door opens, and I am afraid of the torture they will give me now. I expect to see Ryker, but instead a guard walks in. An old guard from the Capitol. I recognize him.

"Don't let them get to you." He tells my nearly unconscious, lying on the ground. "You have to be strong for just a few more days. You'll be out of here before you know it." And then he's out the door before anyone finds him here in the first place.

 _Be strong for just a few more days._ I repeat the words in my head over and over. Never letting go of them. Because I know if I let go of the words, my life will vanish as well.

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but if I had gone on any longer then she would have been rescued too quickly.**

 **What? Did you think I would leave her there in the hands of Snow? No way!**

 **Hope y'all enjoyed!**

 **Have a wonderful day and may the odds be ever in your favor.**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: HEY I'M BACK!**

 **I don't feel like making an author's note, so let's get straight into the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own this!**

 **Chapter 23 – Peeta's POV**

After denying my work at the bakery for months now, I had to go to help Coral. She hasn't been nagging me about it, but I feel so bad for leaving all the work to her. Plus, Ryker has gone missing too, so we're pretty sure it was him, but no one knows where he is. But we know, if we find Ryker, then we find Katniss.

"Peeta!" Coral shouts when I enter the bakery. "You came today! I wasn't expecting you!"

I simply nod my head in response, unwilling to speak after all the terrible things that have happened to me.

"I'm gonna make the bread." She tells me. "Do you want to take the register? You don't have to if your too upset!"

"No," I say lowly. "I'll take the register."

"Okay, well, tell me if you need anything." She says sincerely. I once again nod in response. I don't feel like speaking more than I have to.

I take to the register and wait for someone to enter the bakery, although my mind is else where.

"Hello?" I hear a voice, bringing me out of my thoughts. I look up from my slumping position to see Delly.

"Hi." I grumble. "Can I help you?"

"Why do you sound so upset?" She asks. Surely she knows that Katniss went missing, everybody knows by this point.

"You know why." I say.

"Come on, Peeta! You aren't still moping over your wife, are you?" She asks. "You need to move past that, move on in with your life. She's not coming back, Peeta! It's been six months! They're not going to find her!"

"N - no, they will find her!" I stutter.

"Peeta, maybe what you really need isn't her! Maybe what you need is right in front of you, and has been all along!" She tries.

"You?" I ask, shocked that she is still trying to get together with me... especially when I'm so sad, lonely, and vulnerable.

"Yes, me!" She smiles. "Maybe, Katniss going missing was a sign that we were meant to be together. I mean, for all you know, she left on purpose!"

"She didn't!" I say in a higher voice than I normally have been using. "She loves me and I love her! She would never leave me! I am sure of that!"

"Are you really sure?" She asks. "'Cause we could go to the Justice Building right now and get those divorce papers signed and then we could be together, and not worry about her."

"No!" I say harshly. "I am never leaving Katniss! Even if she is..." I trail off and then start talking softly. "Gone... for good, then I... I would never be with someone else. I would never be happy again."

"You could be happy with me, I'm sure of it!" She says. "I'll make you so much happier than she ever could."

"Excuse me?" I ask. "That is not even close to true. Now, if your not going to buy anything I would like you to leave. Now!"

"Okay, I'll give you time to think about it, but you know where to find me when your ready!" She smiles and skips off. Can she not get a clue?

I suddenly break down, sinking to the ground and start sobbing. I don't care if I'm in public, I need Katniss and I can't go another day without her. It's been six months! And there was no trace of her in District 6 like they thought she would be... but she is no where to be found. And I can't go another day without seeing her smile... her eyes... her hair... all of her.

 **Katniss' POV**

"My name is Katniss Mellark. I'm 19 years old. I live in District 12. I married Peeta Mellark. I was in the Hunger Games twice. I survived. I won a war. I was captured on my wedding day. I want to go home." I sob every time I repeat my monologue. As I sit in my cell, telling myself to hold on... just hold on. Sure, it's been six months but you'll be rescued. Right?

"I can't do it." I say to myself. "I'm letting go." I've come to talking to myself to help with my sanity, although it only works a little because being in here has caused me to lose most of all my sanity.

"No, no hold on." I try to encourage myself. "It will all be over soon." But will it? Will I die here? Death would be my only escape from this torment. Holding on to life is torturing me more than ever. I'm wishing to have death put upon me, just to escape.

"Dinner." Ryker comes into my cell sliding a plate across the floor containing the same thing I get every couple of days, steel meat that feels like its been sitting out for days. Although it has made me sick a couple of times, I have to eat it. But not this time, I can't stay here any longer.

"Eat!" He says. After waiting a moment he starts yelling. "Why won't you eat?"

"Why don't you just kill me already?" I ask, ignoring his question.

He snickers then replies, "Snow would much rather you suffer just a little longer before we do away with you."

"What's the point?" I ask. "If I'm just going to die anyways?"

"You want to die, don't you?" He asks. "To escape all of this?"

I don't answer him.

"Exactly." He snaps at me. "Killing you would be giving you what you want."

"I never wanted any of this." I say, my voice cracking a little more with each word. "I never wanted to be in the games." All this happened because I was in the games to begin with. "I just wanted to save my sister... and keep Peeta alive."

"Ms. Everdeen," Snow enters the room. "Haven't you learned this by now? It's the things we love the most... that destroy us."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

He only snickers and turns towards Ryker. "Start up the jabberjays."

"NO!" I scream. "PLEASE! NOT THOSE AGAIN! PLEASE!" I sob as I speak, so much emotion in my voice. They've used the jabberjays on me so much in the past six months and I can't take the voices anymore... but my luck has once again run out.

…...

I can't take it anymore! I have to leave... or die. Those are my only two options. My only two ways out. I can't take the voices, beatings, whippings. It's all too much.

"Just keep going." I tell myself, sobbing a little more with every word. "Think of Peeta. He'd want you to come back. He would. Do it for him."

What if he's moved on? Figured I wouldn't be coming back and fell in love with someone else. Like Delly. I wouldn't blame him, she has everything that I don't possess. Like beauty. How could Peeta love someone like me? Who now is covered in even more scars than ever before.

"I'm done." And just like that, I let go of everything.

My world slowly fades to black, remembering only one thought... Peeta.

 **Gale's POV :O**

My squad of peacekeepers have searched every district in Panem, and still no sign of Katniss. After searching every district we go to searching the woods. It's not the worst idea, but still not the easiest.

It had taken six months to search all the districts, hoping we weren't too late. But now, we have to work fats through the woods, still hoping we're not too late.

"Let's split up!" I call out to my team. "Admiral Johnson, you take your squad and head towards north!"

"Yes, General Hawthorne!" Admiral Johnson replies, who is in charge of the navies, while I am in charge of the armies.

"The rest of you, follow me this way!" I command, pointing the south. The squad follows me into the woods of District 6. This is where we originally thought Katniss was, prior to finding evidence that lead here. But since we could not track her in town, we thought she wasn't here. But who knows, she may be in these woods somewhere.

After hours of walking in the woods, we are about to head back, when one of my men start shouting.

"General!" He shouts. "General, we found something!"

"Lead the way!" I command him as he starts running towards what looks like a door to an underground area of some kind. It looks very suspicious, especially being this far into the woods. It couldn't be a bomb shelter, because no one would be able to get to it fast enough if there were bombs. Plus, it can't be an old bomb shelter because it looks relatively new and in good shape.

"Should we open it?" Another one of my men asks. I don't answer the question, I just reach down and try pulling it open, but of course, it is locked. It looks like it would open up if I shot a bullet at it, so I pull out my gun and release the trigger. Just as I thought, the lock on the door breaks and we are able to pull the door open.

"Watch your step!" I warn everyone, as we make our way down a flight of stairs that is fairly well lit. At the bottom is a door, and as we make our way towards it I immediately tell them to open up.

"OPEN UP!" I scream. "THIS IS THE PEACEKEEPERS! WE ORDER YOU TO OPEN THIS DOOR!" We don't get a response, but we hear feet shuffling behind the door. "Kick the door down." I order one of the men. He does so and it opens right away.

The area inside is well lit, just like the stairway down. No one is in sight now, but I know I heard something.

Instead of telling them to show themselves, I order half of my men down one side of the hall, while the other half follows me down the opposite end.

We get to the end of the hall and are about to round the corner, when we see two people at the end, both look familiar but they are too far for me to fully make out.

"HEY!" I scream. They both look our way as I start running towards them both. They go into the only room they are able to get into at that point. Me and my squad all run towards them and enter the same room they went into. We see them again, this time with no where to go. I recognize the white haired man right away. Snow. But what catches my attention is that the other man is holding Katniss, who is unconscious, and he has a gun pointed towards her temple.

"DROP YOUR WEAPON!" I scream at him, pointing my own weapon towards him.

"If you take one more step towards me I'll shoot her!" The man warns.

"DROP IT!" I scream, trying to sound brave, but inside I'm terrified.

"Drop the gun," he says. "And I won't kill her."

"I don't take orders from you." I say as I pull the trigger. The noise must have surprised him, because his gun slips a little and he pulls the trigger, but instead of it going into Katniss' head, it goes into her shoulder.

The bullet goes into the man's head and he falls to the ground in a heap, releasing Katniss as she plummets farther onto the ground. I stare, wide-eyed and in shock at the scene before me.

"Put Snow in handcuffs!" I order my men. "And get medical help! FAST!"

I go towards Katniss and get a better look at her. She has bruises and blood all over her, but I can't help but notice the whip marks evident on her arms and most likely her back too.

"What did you do to her?" I scream at Snow. By now, he is already in handcuffs and is in the custody of my men. He was supposed to be dead! Why was he not dead?

He won't be alive for long.

I raise my gun and pull the trigger, the bullet landing right in his head. Now, he is dead.

"Did you call medical help?" I ask quickly.

"Yes, sir!" One says.

"Okay, let's get her back up and wait for the hovercraft to arrive." I say, staring at the bruised and bloody body of my best friend, Katniss Everdeen Mellark.

 **Peeta POV**

"We found her!" Gale says on the other end of the phone. "We're bringing her home right now!"

I am so happy right now! Happier than I'd been in months.

"Is she okay?" I ask quickly. I don't hear him respond so I ask again, this time with more force. "Is she okay?"

"S – she is getting medical help right now." He says.

"Medical help?! For what? What happened?"

"Well, their just cleaning up the blood right now... they're going to start the surgery when they get back to 12."

"GALE! WHAT HAPPENED?!" I scream.

"I don't know." He says sadly. "It looks like she was beaten and... I don't know."

"Oh my God!" I am shocked. "W – who was it?"

"Two men and there were some guards there. The two men we identified as Ryker Nolan and... Snow."

"Snow?! B – but I thought he was dead?"

"Well, he's dead now."

"When will Katniss be here?" I ask impatiently.

"About twenty minutes."

"I'm going to the hospital now!" I hang up and run out the door in a hurry.

She's alive! SHE'S ALIVE! Is my only thought.

 **A/N: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Bet ya' didn't see that coming, did ya'?**

 **( * ^ * )**

 **Hope y'all liked this chapter, it was fun to write the part where they found Katniss! I got to do all this research about armies and navies and stuff! So, yeah!**

 **Have a great day and may the odds be ever in your favor!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I have ONCE AGAIN deleted the whole chapter!**

 **I didn't mean to! I had this other document open and I didn't want it, so I clicked Command Q to close it and clicked 'Discard' and it deleted chapter 24 instead of what I wanted it to delete! :-(**

 **Well, I wasn't happy with the chapter I had written out anyways, but still, I had EVERYHTING planned out, and it was on that chapter, and now it's gone!**

 **Well, you know, karma! :P**

 **I have some good news! Okay, so y'all know that I had written a story where Katniss was captured instead of Peeta by the Capitol, and I deleted it saying that I would start it up again when I had more time, well now is the time to start it again.**

 **I've been wanting to start a new story for a while because if I don't feel like writing this one (Which BTW is my main priority) then I have another story to turn to.**

 **So yeah! ENJOY!**

 **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own this. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.**

 **Chapter 24 – Peeta's POV**

The hospital is flooding with people once I get there. Katniss has just made it to the hospital and is immediately taken into the OR for an operation. My mind is driving me crazy. I'm happy that she is back, nervous about the operation she has to go through, sad for what has happened to her. It's all so confusing, heartbreaking? I don't even know anymore.

Hours and hours pass until Katniss' operation is finished and I am allowed to see her. This will be the first time in over 6 months that I will get to see her. She had been gone so long and I was about to have a complete meltdown.

I enter Katniss' room and find her sleeping peacefully on her hospital bed. She has bandages all over her body and I can't help but gasp at the sight. There are dark circles under her eyes, like she hasn't slept in days or months. She also has a breathing mask on her face and a heart monitor hooked up to her. She has a steady heartbeat, which is good.

After taking in the sight of her I am quickly by her side. Sitting in the chair next to her bed I grab a hold of her hand which is as cold as ice. I can't help the tears that spring to my eyes.

"Mr. Mellark." I hear someone say. My head jerks up from my sleeping position. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep, but when your wife goes missing for months you can't sleep during that time.

"Yes?" I ask the doctor who has just addressed me.

"My name is Dr. Roman." The female doctor, Roman, introduces herself.

"Hello!" I say.

"Hi, I'm just here to take Katniss' blood test." She says.

"Is she going to be okay?" I ask.

"We believe so, but we won't know for sure until she wakes up." She tells me.

"Can't you run some tests to make sure there is nothing urgent?" I ask.

"Not while she's asleep." She tells me. "We've done all the tests we can do by hand already, but we can't use any machines until she is fully awake."

"How long until she wakes up?"

"Could take a day or two, considering her body needs recuperating." She says. "But she'll be okay. We'll make sure of it." I really don't want her asleep for a day or two, it makes it feel like she's still so far away. But I know that she needs her sleep more than I want her to be awake.

"Thank you."

She smiles. "It's my job, isn't it? Just tell me if you need anything. I'll just be drawing blood from her real quick." She makes her way to Katniss and takes out a needle, injecting it into the vain on her arm and then pulling the plunger. "There we go. Call me if you need anything."

"Thank you again."

"No problem." She smiles and leaves.

I go back to holding Katniss' ice cold hand and gently rubbing my thumb over it. She looks so peaceful when she's asleep. So beautiful. I start kissing her hand. Each finger tenderly being kissed until I make it to her finger with her ring. The ring is only a little chipped, but it still looks perfect and brand new. I kiss this finger longer than the rest. It reminds me of our wedding day. I am happy at the memory for a minute until I remember what happened that day. Katniss was taken from me.

I just hope we'll get to spend a new night together as our long awaited wedding night. Hopefully.

 **Katniss' POV**

I wake up, not knowing where I am or what happened. I look around and realize I am in a hospital room. I look left and see Peeta holding my hand, fast asleep in the hospital chair. I smile, knowing I haven't seen him in months, yet I don't want to wake him because he looks so peaceful and tired.

I never thought the day would come when I was rescued, considering how I've been in the crutches of Ryker and Snow. Wait! I wonder what happened to them. Probably in jail, if not they're probably dead already. Snow would definitely be executed, considering he was supposed to be a long time ago.

"Katniss!" I hear Peeta say, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"... h... e..." I can't seem to finish my sentence. My voice is strained from all the screaming I did while imprisoned.

 **(Just wanted to add that Katniss sounds pretty much the same way she did in Mockingjay Part 2 when Peeta had strangled her. I just didn't know how to say it in the story.)**

"I... missed... you." I try to say, but my throat is preventing me from doing it. It feels like I had just been choked.

"Katniss? What's wrong with your voice?" He asks, suddenly widely concerned. I wave him off, trying to tell him "it's fine." without really saying anything at all.

"It's... just that... I've been... screaming... and crying... over..." My voice won't let me continue and he senses that.

"I'm going to get the doctor!" He says. Before I can object he's flown out the door. Seconds later he and a doctor return.

"Mrs. Mellark," She greets me. "How nice to see you awake."

"I..." I start to say.

"No, no, no." She cuts me off. "Don't try to talk, you have a lot of swelling in your vocal cords." I nod in response. "I'm going to go get something to help with the swelling. In the meantime, I'll leave you two alone."

"Thank you." Peeta says.

"Your welcome, and Peeta make sure she doesn't try to talk. It'll only make it worse."

"Yes, Dr. Roman. Thank you." Peeta says. She nods and exits the room. Peeta takes his seat again next to my bed. "I missed you so much." He finally tells me. "Please, never leave me again. Please."

I only nod my head, wishing I could say more, but instead I caress his cheek. I can tell he was getting impatient, because he then crashes his lips into mine, sending us both into a long, passionate kiss. The first one in months. And I couldn't be happier about it.

"I love you so much." He starts crying. "So much." I smile at him, hoping he can read my mind as I try to make him see that I'm saying "I love you too" back to him. "You don't know how much I cried for you. I – I was so scared. So damn scared for you."

I can't take it anymore, I have to _talk_ to him.

"I..." He puts a finger over my mouth.

"No!" He says. "Don't talk." I have a look of pleading on my face, as if begging him to let me talk. "I'm sorry, I know you want to talk, but you just can't. Not until the swelling goes down."

I pout but listen. Moments later the doctor comes back.

"Okay." She says with a cup in her hand. "I have the medicine, which should help the swelling go down." She hands me the cup and I look inside to see a strange looking orange drink. It does not look appetizing at all.

I shake my head quickly like a child, refusing to drink it.

"Katniss, you have to." Peeta coxes me. "Just drink it as fast as you can. Or plug your nose while doing it, but you have to drink it."

Normally, I wouldn't mind drinking this, but after being imprisoned for months, I am more scared than my normal self.

I shake my head again.

"Mrs. Mellark, if you don't drink it then we'll have to wait weeks until your throat heals on it's own." The doctor tells me. "Drink this and you will be talking by next week."

I definitely want to start talking again, so any sacrifice is big enough for that to happen.

I quickly chug the drink down, holding my breathe as I do so. It tastes terrible, but I keep chugging. When it is all gone I release a sigh of relief.

"See?" Peeta says. "That wasn't too bad."

I can't scowl at him because he has no idea what that stuff tasted like.

"Now, Mrs. Mellark," Dr. Roman says. "You cannot speak for a couple of days. We will keep you here for that time period."

"Thank you." Peeta says, I nod thanking her as well. She then exits the room and Peeta and I are left alone. "How you feeling?" I put my thumb up, saying I'm good. It's nice to see Peeta again, especially after six long months away from him.

"I was thinking," he says. "Since we didn't ever actually go on our honeymoon, I thought we could go to where I had planned for us to go." I smile, telling him (without talking) that it's a great idea. "I was thinking we could spend one night at home, as our delayed wedding night, and then we could head out. Just you and me."

I nod my head vigorously, agreeing with every word he's said.

"Good," he smiles. "I'll make the reservations tonight."

…...

The next day we get visitor. Haymitch, Annie, Johanna and my mother. Apparently they refused to leave the district until I was found.

"Hi." Annie says sweetly. "How are you feeling?" I smile at her in response.

"She can't talk for a few days." Peeta tells her.

"Oh my goodness." My mother exclaims. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later." Peeta says.

"Do you need anything, Katniss?" Annie asks. I shake my head 'no'. "Okay, just tell me if you do. Well, we all missed you so much."

"It's nice to have you back, sweetheart." Haymitch says. I smile at all of them.

"I have to admit," Johanna says. "It was less tense when you were gone." I glare at her.

"Hey." Peeta warns. "Watch it."

"What?" She asks. "I was just speaking the truth. I though everyone here was taught never to lie?"

"Johanna," Annie warns. "If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all."

"Whatever."

"Katniss, is it okay if I bring Fin in here sometime?" Annie asks. "He wants to see his Auntie Katniss so badly."

I nod my head in response, happy to have my friends, my family, here with me today.

…...

A few days later Dr. Roman comes in to test my voice. She first feels my throat, which is relatively swollen and tender, so I flinch back.

"It's okay, it's okay." She tells me. Peeta is in the room too and he watches me intently. "Repeat after me; my name is Katniss Mellark, I'm from District 12."

"M...my..." I start in a strained voice. "N... na...me..." I pause for a second.

"It's okay," she says. "Take your time."

"Is... Kat – Kat... niss... Me...llark... I – I'm from Dist... ict 12." My voice starts getting clearer towards the end, probably just adjusting to being able to speak again without screaming every second.

"Okay, say it again."

"My... name is Katniss... Mellark... I'm from District... 12."

"Very good, one more time."

"My name is Katniss Mellark, I'm from District 12." By this time my voice sounds pretty much like I am starting to lose my voice, or just regaining it which I am.

"Perfect." She says. "You two are free to go, just try to talk as little as possible and drink lots of tea to soothe your throat and help it regain composure."

"Thank you." Peeta says.

"Thanks." I say too, happy to be able to talk again.

"Let's go home, Katniss." Peeta smiles at me. I nod in response. Before leaving the room I give him a long, passionate kiss on the lips.

"I love you." I tell him, voice still strained.

"I love you too." He smiles at me in awe.

We walk home hand in hand, happy to be together once again.

 **(Warning: SUPER heated smut coming up. I don't know if it is exactly a sex scene, but it is pretty darn close. Don't worry though, I'll end the chapter where they are about to have the actual sex.)**

"Ready for a perfect wedding night?" He asks me.

"I'm more than ready." I tell him. We enter the house and once the door is closed we crash into each other, locking lips together. Murmuring sweet nothings as we go along.

We crash into the wall, but we don't care, we just keep going. Making out in the hallway.

"Upstairs." I demand between our long kiss. We slowly make our way upstairs, still kissing as we go. It takes forever, but once we do get upstairs we crash onto our bed, still kissing vigorously.

I feel for the hem of his shirt and when I find it I slip it over his head. He stops kissing me long enough to help pull it over his head and then our lips are immediately back together, like they never parted. Soon I feel him feeling for the hem of my shirt, when I remember something.

"Wait!" I say.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"I forgot my wedding present to you." I smirk.

"Can't we just go a little longer?" He begs.

"No!" I say. "You'll like it, I promise." I then rush out of the room, trying to remember where I had left it. Then it hits me. I never took it out of my old house before the wedding.

I run over across the street really quickly and enter my house, literally racing upstairs. Once I'm up there I search frantically for it. Then I find it in the top drawer of my old dresser. The lingerie.

Once I have it I race back to our house and rush into the bathroom, not wanting him to see me until I have gotten it on fully.

"Katniss!" Peeta calls out.

"Hold on!" I yell back. I hear him knocking at the bathroom door. "I'll be out in a second." Once I have it on I grab my robe, knowing he's right behind the door. He can't see it until we're both in the room. "Okay." I say, opening the door.

"What's up?" He asks. "You just took off."

"Upstairs." I say again, beckoning him with a single finger to follow me. "You'll see the surprise then." For some reason I feel pretty excited for Peeta to see me in this, even though I was completely against it in the first place. I know he'll like this.

He follows me back to our room, and it's then that I decide to show him. But first I remind him of something.

"I just want you to know that this was completely Johanna's idea." I say. "I was against it at first, but I feel pretty excited now." I giggle.

"What is it?" He asks. I slowly take off my robe to reveal the lingerie that had been hiding away at my old house so long.

"Woah!" He stares at me, his mouth gaping open and eyes wide.

"Do you like it?" I ask.

"Like it? I – I love it." He says. "You look beautiful."

I'm tired of waiting, so I crash my lips into his once again. We do this for a long time, until eventually I go to remove his pants, ans then my lingerie is on the floor. We fall onto the bed in a heap, still kissing madly.

I open my eyes for a second and look into his. We are both thinking the same thing.

"Are you sure your ready?" He asks sweetly.

"I'm never been more sure."

That was the first night we tried for a child.

 **A/N: So, that was a super heated smut scene, but I don't think it was too bad, was it? I know this is rated T and I wanted to keep it that way. Although, I should probably change the description because it says NO SMUT, and this chapter has smut.**

 **Okay, I just searched it, smut means that viewers under 18 should beware. But I don't think this chapter was too smutty in that case, because I guess it would be appropriate for like a 16 year old or something.**

 **I mean, I'm 13 and I just started writing about that stuff, but I guess it's all good, right?**

 **Well, nonetheless, I hope y'all enjoyed. :)**

 **Have a good day and may the odds be ever in your favor.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: So so so SO sorry for taking such a long time to update. How long has it been? A month? Two months? I don't know, I lost track of the last time I updated this story.**

 **Sorry if this chapter isn't the best, but I've done SO much writing today that my brain is farting so much. But I had to write this chapter for you guys because I promised I would.**

 **Disclaimer: Again, I do not own The Hunger Games. Wish I did, but all credit goes to Suzanne Collins. I feel like I always forget the disclaimers... oops.**

 **Chapter 25**

I wake up feeling Peeta's tender lips on my shoulders.

"Mm..." I mumble happily. "Don't stop."

"She speaks." He teases.

"You stopped." I point out. His lips reconnect with my shoulders. "Better."

"How did you sleep?" He asks after a few minutes.

"Amazing," I tell him.

"Last night, we, um..."

"Yeah," I say. "We did."

"You don't regret it, do you?"

"Why would I regret having sex with my husband?" I ask. He shrugs his shoulders. "It was amazing, Peeta."

"It was," he says. "But we should probably get up now."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because we are leaving for our honeymoon today." He smiles. "Did you forget already."

"No," I answer. "It just slipped my mind."

"Well, we're leaving in an hour. We slept in way too late."

"We have plenty of time," I say, starting to kiss his shoulders, the same way he did to me except going all over.

"As much as I'd love to stay in this bed with you, I really don't want to miss the train. You still have to take a shower."

"Mm..." I moan. "Okay."

I hop out of bed and go into the shower.

"You wanna join me?" I ask seductively.

"I thought you'd never ask," he chuckles.

An hour later Peeta and I are all ready to go. He still hasn't told me where we're going, I'll try to be patient but it's all too exciting.

"Peeta, can you please tell me where we're going?" I beg him as we make our way to the train station.

"No," he says firmly. "It's a surprise."

Once we arrive at the train station we both hop onto our private train. When we get on the memories flood my mind as I immediately realize which train this is. It's the same train we took to and from the first games and during the Victory Tour. The memory instantly brings tears to my eyes.

I'm going on my honeymoon, I'm supposed to be happy, but here I am crying because of the train we're on.

Peeta brings our luggage on and when he looks up he sees where we are.

"Oh no." He says. "I didn't think they were going to put on this train." He looks at me and realizes I'm crying. "I'm so sorry, Kat." He wraps his arms around me to try and comfort me, but I can't help but tremble like crazy. "Do you want me to ask if they can get us a new train."

"No, Peeta, really it's fine." I say. "I just... need to get used to it... again."

"Are you sure?" He asks. "Because I can make them change it right now."

"No, I just want to get there. Changing our train will be too long and complicated."

"Okay..." He says. "But I'm right here if you need me."

I pick up my luggage and take it to the room I used during the first games. Peeta follows closely behind, carrying his own luggage.

It takes a whole day before we reach our destination. The whole time Peeta and I just lied in bed the whole time sleeping and talking and kissing.

We get off the train holding our luggage. I look around for a hint of where we are when my eyes fall on the big sign that reads 'District 4'.

"District 4?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "I thought you'd like it."

"I do," I answer. "Where are we going to stay?"

"You'll see,"

"Oh come on," I complain jokingly. "I've already had tons of surprises today!"

"We'll be there before you know it," he says. "We just have to walk there."

The whole walk to our 'secret' destination I am thinking of where we are actually going. My mind fills with the idea of a hotel, but I know Peeta is more romantic than that. I am confused when he starts going towards the woods. Surely there are no houses in there.

Only a few minutes I get a view of a beautiful cottage in the middle of the woods. The cottage is old fashioned, being covered in pink, purple and blue flowers, along with green vines holding up the flowers. Even as it looks old fashioned, it also looks newly built.

"Oh my God!" I gape. "Peeta! It's beautiful!"

"You like it?" He asks, putting the into the door.

"Like it? I love it!" I say ecstatically. He gets the door open and I see the inside is extremely shabby chic and beautiful. Everything about it is so amazingly beautiful. There is so much white and lavender colors. I gasp at how amazing it is.

"How long did you rent it out for?" I ask Peeta.

"Who said anything about renting?" Peeta chuckles.

"Wait, what?" I ask astonished.

"I got this place built before the wedding. It's just a vacation house, but it's yours so we can come here anytime you'd like."

"Oh my God, Peeta! Thank you so much! I love it! I love you!" I throw my arms around him and kiss him all over. "Thank you," I say between kisses. "I love you,"

"I love you too." He says back.

The rest of the night we spend in bed, kissing and talking.

Today was probably one of the best days of my life.

 **A/N: Again, sorry for the shortness and that it's not that good but I'm exhausted. I did so much writing today. I've literally been at this computer for almost 5 hours just writing up chapters and I feel like I didn't accomplish very much because I was dancing some of the time...**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed anyways.**

 **Next chapter will be ALL about the honeymoon, because I've got to write more about that. :)**

 **BYE!**


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